RaboPlus New Zealand Track Cycling Championships

New Zealand’s gun men’s team pursuit line up has taken to the track this morning on the 6th and final day of the RaboPlus New Zealand Track Championships in Invercargill.

The team is gearing up for the UCI World Championships in Poland later this month and had a simulation run this morning ahead of an attempt to break the New Zealand record tonight.

The simulation consisted of the team breaking the 4km pursuit distance in half, riding a standing start 2km and then a flying start 2km.

The New Zealand team is a major medal hope at the World Champs’ after their bronze medal winning efforts at last year’s Beijing Olympics.

The team is spearheaded by New Zealand Individual Pursuit champion and World Cup gold medallist Jesse Sergent, who is joined by Wes Gough, Sam Bewley, and Peter Latham.

Marc Ryan who was part of the team that won bronze in Beijing is taking a break from the track today, while the other member of the Olympic team Hayden Roulston is concentrating on road racing in Europe this year and wont be heading to the World Championships.

In competition today the Canterbury Under 19 team qualified first for tonight’s men’s team pursuit final where they will line up against Auckland, Canterbury’s Natasha Hansen was the fastest qualifier for tonight’s women’s Keirin finals, while in the men’s Keirin Auckland’s Sam Webster posted the best time.

Day 6 Morning Session Results:
Open Men 4000m Team Pursuit Qualifying:
Canterbury JU19 (Josh Atkins, Ruaraidh McLeod, Michael Vink, Chad Adair) 4:17.090 1, Auckland (Aaron Gate, Alex Cull, Jono Hailstone, Chris Macic) 4:19.877 2, Southland (Tom Scully, Eddie Dawkins, Hamish Presbury, Jason Barlow) 4:25.070 3, Otago (Alex McGregor, Shane Melrose, Joe Chapman, Brad Evans) 4:26.743 4.

Open Women Keirin 2nd Round Start List:
Heat 1
Rosy McCall (Auckland), Megan Blatchford (West Coast North Island), Hayley Giddens (Wellington), Natasha Hansen (Canterbury), Chloe Harding-Sheath (Auckland), Cara Smith (Canterbury).
Heat 2
Claire Routledge (Auckland), Lizzi Clements (Wellington), Penny Day (Canterbury), Honor Davies (Otago), Henrietta Mitchell (Auckland), Elizabeth Steel (Canterbury)
Open Men Keirin 2nd Round Start List:
Heat 1
Ben Simpson (Auckland) Simon van Velthooven (West Coast North Island), Adam Stewart (Auckland), Jason Allen (Mid South Canterbury), Eddie Dawkins (Southland), Sam Webster (Auckland)
Heat 2
Andrew Williams (Auckland), Myron Simpson (Auckland), Sam Steele (Canterbury), Matt Archbold (Otago), Eathan Mitchell (Auckland), Matt Vermunt (Southland)

For full results: bikenz.org.nz