UCI World Cup Cycling - Melbourne

The BikeNZ track team grabbed two further victories to cap an outstanding campaign at the UCI World Cup in Melbourne at the weekend.

Talented teenager Tom Scully teamed up with experienced Timaru rider Marc Ryan to win the 40km men’s Madison in brilliant fashion.

The world silver medal winning women’s team pursuit got one back with an impressive display to dominate Great Britain, turning the tables on their result at the world championships.

This brought New Zealand’s tally to four gold medals, a silver and a bronze in the World Cup which has also qualified a goodly number of disciplines for next year’s world championships.

“Overall I am very happy with the results,” said BikeNZ head coach Tim Carswell. “Perhaps the most pleasing aspect is the development in the depth of the squad with the women’s pursuit developing a group of girls going very well. We’ve seen the emergence of a sprint squad for the first time and they have been competitive. And then we have Tom Scully who has been outstanding.”

Scully and Ryan teamed up with the Germans to put a lap on the field with 30 laps remaining in the 160 lap race before outkicking their rivals to win the next sprint and take a crucial two point advantage, with only three teams on the same lap.

The Ukraine team attacked but the kiwis responded to roll over the top of them. Ryan then used his skill and experience to put in a massive surge to gap their rivals, allowing Scully to bring it home to win the final sprint and the title.

“Tom’s ride in the scratch race was unbelievable. And he and Dream (Marc Ryan) were fantastic tonight. Our special madision training came with Australian great Brett Aitken really paid off tonight in the technique and tactical appreciation.”

Carswell said the men’s pursuit were disappointed not to make the final after he spelled ace Jesse Sergent from the heats but in the overall scheme it has helped develop experience at this level.

“Sometimes you have to lose a battle to win the war.”

Carswell said he was pleased with the performance from the sprint squad in their first world cup and wanted to ensure they continue their hard work through to the Beijing World Cup next year.

BikeNZ national women’s coach Dayle Cheatley gambled on bringing in the fresh legs of Auckland’s Kaytee Boyd for the final of the women’s pursuit, with the team producing a precision display to dominate the Great Britain trio.

Boyd, Alison Shanks and Lauren Ellis were ahead from the start and were never threatened, going on to clock 3:24.771, their third fastest time ever, with the British more than a second behind.

“I am very proud of them tonight. They executed the plan without fault. That’s what was most pleasing to me. I wanted them to ride to the plan and if it was good enough then that was fine,” Cheatley said.

“That absolutely nailed it. And the decision to bring in fresh legs with Kaytee definitely worked for us.”

Earlier Eddie Dawkins (Invercargill) was beaten in the final of the B Sprint but finished in the top 10 after his outstanding 10.361 effort in qualifying on the dead Melbourne track.

Result, men’s Madison, 40km: New Zealand (Marc Ryan, Tom Scully) 16 points, 1; Germany 8, 2; Ukraine 6, 3.

Women’s 3000m team pursuit, gold medal ride-off: New Zealand (Kaytee Boyd, Lauren Ellis, Alison Shanks) 3:24.771, 1; Great Britain 3:25.938, 2.
Bronze medal ride-off: Australia 3:26.869, 3; Ukraine 3:30.156, 4.

Men’s sprints, qualifying: Eddie Dawkins 10.361, 9th.
Round 2: Dawkins lost to Peter Lewis (AUS) 10.665.
B semifinal: Dawkins beat David Daniell (GBR) 10.918.
B Final: Dawkins lost to Jason Niblett (AUS) 11.029.

Image Credit: Shane Goss/Licoricegallery.com