Greg Henderson and Hayden Roulston gave the New Zealand team some late cheer with their silver medal in the madison on the last night of the world track championships in Stuttgart, Germany, yesterday.
In finishing behind the Swiss pair of Bruno Risi and Franco Marvulli, the New Zealanders recorded one of
this country's finest cycling results of the modern era.
New Zealand's last silver medal at a world championships was in 1999 when former Australian sprinter Anthony Peden won silver in the keirin.
Twenty-two-year-old Roulston was "over the moon" with his medal.
"It's just great. I really can't believe it.
"What we were up against was just amazing, and so to come second is superb," he said.
"Now we have tasted success we want to do the same again but go one step better next time."
As if the top-class field was not enough of an obstacle, Roulston fell from his cycle early in the race.
"I managed to scrape myself off the track and get back into it."
Risi and Marvulli had raced "probably 60 times" over the event, Roulston said, while "me and Greg have only done it a couple of times".
"It's something we can get better at and want to improve on and come back stronger."
New Zealand coach Max Vertongen was stunned by the result.
"You just wouldn't see two happier people," he said.
"You can have all the talent in the world but at a major event like this, you normally need experience to do well, and Greg and Hayden don't have as much as some of these other riders.
"This field is absolutely the best you can get - all the big guns are here.
"We're just amazed by what has happened," said Vertongen.
Henderson and Roulston have tasted success previously in the event, winning a World Cup gold medal in the madison at Sydney 18 months ago.
- NZPA
