Cycling: Peden under cloud after pullout

By CHRIS RATTUE

Anthony Peden pulled out of the cycling sprint at the Games on Monday night, and there must now be doubt over his fitness for his favoured keirin event on Thursday.

Peden has a back complaint which cut into his training last week, and required an injection on Sunday.

Coach Ron Cheatley said Peden was disappointed but added: "The keirin is what he came here for."

The former Australian was lethargic in the morning's qualifying round of the sprint, finishing 15th in the original field of 19.

He was drawn to race against close friend and double Olympic champion Jens Fiedler (Germany) in the first round, but pulled out in a bid to recover in time for his premier event.

Peden needed a cortisone injection to ease the pain after his ride earlier on Monday, and is being treated by the New Zealand medical staff at the Games village.

He switched to New Zealand when he struggled to make the Australian Olympic and world championships team.

"It gives me control of my own destiny," he said. "There's no chance now that I'll sit back in 10 years time and wonder what might have been."

The 30-year-old trained in New Zealand early this year then headed to Europe where he raced until August.

He finished his training with three weeks of work in Queensland.

Peden was a remote chance for a sprinting medal, being ranked about 12th in the world, but he finished second at last year's world championships in the keirin and must rate a medal chance.

Cheatley said he believed Peden would be fit for Thursday's racing, though nothing was certain.

Peden might not train fully today.

The keirin is making its Olympic debut in Sydney at the Dunc Gray Velodrome. The event involves a motorcycle pacer leading the riders at 25km per hour and then 45km per hour before leaving the track with two-and-a-half laps to go.

It begins with three heats of seven riders, which is cut to 12 for the next round, and six for the final.

Peden, who turned 30 last Friday, won New Zealand national keirin titles for the past two years and was Oceania champion in 1997.

His injury adds to the cycling squad's list of woes - Sarah Ulmer and Susy Pryde have been affected by illness and injury.

Meanwhile, sprint cyclist Fiona Ramage from Christchurch was eliminated by Russian Oxana Grichina, who was fifth at the Atlanta Games.

Ramage received a big cheer from the New Zealand fans at the Velodrome, but was by far the underdog.

Grichina had the second fastest qualifying time, while Ramage - making her Olympic debut at the age of 22 - was 11th out of 12.