Commonwealth Games: Cycling boss takes blame for disqualification disaster

The New Zealand Men's 4000m Team Pursuit have been disqualified. Photo / Greg Bowker

New Zealand's men's team pursuit have been disqualified from their rideoff for bronze at the Commonwealth Games tonight.

The New Zealanders were red-carded for having an illegal bike on the start line, missing out on their bronze decider against Canada.

Wales were promoted into New Zealand's place; a big blow for the team of Regan Gough, Campbell Stewart, Nick Kergozou, Tom Sexton and Jared Gray.

The team appealed the decision, but it was denied.

Cycling New Zealand High Performance boss Martin Barras has taken responsibility for the snafu, which cost the quartet a chance of a bronze medal.

Martin Barras, High Performance Director New Zealand Cycling talks with support staff after the DQ. Photo / Greg Bowker

"There are regulations that pertain to the exact set-up the bike can be configured in, and one of our bikes was found to be outside of those configurations by five or six millimetres in the front cockpit [of the bike]."

"It's a failing on the team's part, it's a failing on my part as the director of the programme and I can guarantee you that no other bike is going to go onto the track with a set-up that's not conformed to the regulations.

"It was a particularly painful apology to make to all the riders for what just happened."

New Zealand cycling mechanic Dale Hollows and other cycling support staff look dejected after having the NZ Men's 4000m Team Pursuit disqualified due to technical reasons after a bike check. Photo / Greg Bowker

The men's team pursuit's disqualification concluded a hectic period at the velodrome, with it initially being announced over the velodrome PA that it was the women's team pursuit who had been disqualified.

However, that was incorrect, as were further reports out of Australia claiming the women's team pursuit side had successfully appealed their disqualification.

Instead, the Herald confirmed that the women's team pursuit were never disqualified, and they will be riding for gold against Australia at 9.37pm tonight.