Cycling: Ulmer success expected to encourage new breed

1.00pm - By CHRIS BARCLAY

ATHENS - Sarah Ulmer's utter domination of the women's individual pursuit will further inspire a new generation of endurance riders to follow the champion's example, her coach and confidante Brendan Cameron believes.

Ulmer wrapped up a golden pursuit treble at the Olympic Velodrome yesterday, adding the Olympic title to her world and Commonwealth titles.

At 28, and with every pursuit accolade in the bag, Ulmer may not be around to defend her Olympic title at Beijing in 2008. She may not even be up for defending her Commonwealth gold in Melbourne in March 2006.

"She'll have some time off and we'll see if she's still got the fire in her belly," Cameron said after watching his partner of eight years score New Zealand's first Olympic cycling gold medal.

He was confident that regardless of whether she continues cycling, a new breed of track riders would follow through, spurred on by her achievements.

"I've already seen it now, there's a new generation coming through and this (gold) is obviously a boost.

"It breaks down into the clubs. The young kids see Sarah turn up to a club race and they can't believe it."

Rookie riders that have already shed their training wheels are already making an impact on the world stage as well.

"We just had our junior world champs in LA (Los Angeles) with a group of half a dozen kids and they all finished top 10," Cameron said.

"I think we're starting to breed quite a savvy track racing culture in New Zealand."

Cameron, himself a former track cycling Olympian with the team pursuit squad in Sydney 2000, said Ulmer and scratch race world champion Greg Henderson were pivotal ingredients in ensuring that culture continues to grow.

"I think the future's pretty good for racing at home but we do need champions like Sarah and Greg Henderson to lead the way.

"You look at Australia -- they produce all these world champion kids -- they've got the culture there. Then look at the States -- they have 250 million people and struggle to put a team together."

Henderson gets his chance to add to Ulmer's golden momentum in the men's points race on Tuesday (Wednesday NZT), where he is a chance of a podium finish. He will also combine with Hayden Roulston in the two-man madison on Thursday (Friday NZT).

Ulmer also lines up in the points race on Wednesday (Thursday NZT), though she is not a chance to make the podium because her training has been specifically tailored to the individual pursuit.

"We've put our eggs in one basket -- all the training and energy has gone into riding the big gears fast," Cameron said.

"The points race is almost a different sport. She'll jump in there and she won't have the recovery after the little sprints (where points are accrued).

"She'll have one sprint and then she'll be swinging on the back for a while. She just hasn't got the training."

- NZPA