Cycling: Ulmer stuns rivals with new world record

Kiwi cyclist Sarah Ulmer is now a world record holder.

She has thrown down the gauntlet to her rivals at the World Track Cycling Champs in Melbourne by setting a new world mark in the individual pursuit.

Ulmer stunned the field in the first round of qualifying, slicing more than two tenths of a second off the old record.

New Zealand's High Performance Manager Warren Lister says it was an outstanding ride from Ulmer who will now be tough to beat in Friday's semifinals and final.

Lister says they always suspected the world record would be broken in Melbourne.

But he says they did not really expect it to be done in the first round.

Lister says Ulmer is feeling so good she could even go quicker.

The previous world mark was set at the 2000 Sydney Olympics by Dutch legend Leontien Ziljaard Van Moorsel, who Ulmer beat in today's heats.

Warren Lister says there is no doubt Ulmer was spurred on by Van Moorsel.

He says it was awesome to watch two of the classiest riders in the world going head-to-head.

The kiwi was three seconds quicker than the next best qualifier, with Van Morsel back in fifth.

Ulmer will race Britain's Emma Davies in the semifinals.

- Newstalk ZB