Cycling: Women take title in exciting battle

The New Zealand team in Manchester. Photo / splitsecondimages

They lost the final but won the series - and the New Zealand women's cycling pursuit team said it was "exciting" to win the UCI Track World Cup title after finishing second in the final in Manchester yesterday (NZT).

The trio of Alison Shanks, Lauren Ellis and Jaime Nielsen set a new fastest time but finished behind hosts Great Britain who went within a whisker of the world record.

Experienced South Canterbury rider Marc Ryan picked up a bronze medal in the individual pursuit while fellow Timaru cyclist Shane Archbold leads the men's omnium after the opening day, following wins in the flying lap and points race.

The women clocked 3m 20.988s in their heat, just 0.026s behind the British to set up a thrilling final. Their time was more than half a second inside their previous best, the 3m 21.552s ride in the world championships which broke the world record at the time.

They went quicker again in the final, recording 3m 20.8328s despite Shanks hitting a marker on the inside of the track early in the race. However, the British trio of Wendy Houvenaghel, Joanna Rowsell and Sarah Storey set the fastest time recorded at sea level of 3m 19.757s to win.

"That was pretty satisfying because we know we have so much we can improve on," said Nielsen of the Kiwis' series win. "Our training has gone well and it was about setting that pace and holding it for the rest of the ride.

"It was exciting to get the title today. We are taking things one step at a time and trying to build on our performances. It's great - although we would have liked to have won the final.

"It was a great recovery from Ali and Lauren and so to get a new best time after that was pretty satisfying."

Ryan held off Dutchman Jenning Huizenga to win the bronze medal comfortably in the 4000m individual pursuit in 4m 24.855s with Australia's Dennis Rohan beating pro tour star Geraint Thomas in the final in 4m 15.614s.

Archbold, third in the World Cup standings going into the omnium, was in fine form. He was fastest in the flying lap in 13.291s, an average of 67km/h, a new best time. He got into the main break in the points race and then dominated a four-strong break to take out the honours from Poland's Rafal Ratajczyk.

Archbold finished in fourth place in the elimination to lead going into today's final three events - the individual pursuit, scratch race and 1000m time trial.

Sam Webster and Ethan Mitchell failed to qualify in the men's sprint.

- NZPA