The International Olympic Committee has dashed Shanks and Roulston's aspirations, says David Leggat.
No one at the Olympic velodrome in Athens five years ago will forget Sarah Ulmer's wonderful ride to gold in the 3000m individual pursuit.
She hurtled around the banked track in 3m 24.537s, faster than any woman has. A magic New Zealand sporting moment, all those jubilant supporters in black,
or white with the silver fern across the front. Proud to be a Kiwi and all that? You bet.
Last year in Beijing, Hayden Roulston's double Olympic medal success also came in pursuiting - silver in the individual 4000m, bronze in the team event.
Three of New Zealand's five Olympic medals have come in that discipline, starting with Gary Anderson's bronze at Barcelona 17 years ago.
Then there's Alison Shanks, who won the world championship title in Poland in March, stepping up a notch from her fourth placing in Beijing.
A clear successor to Ulmer right through to Olympic gold? It is dangerous to be definitive about these things, but it's certainly fair to say she was on track.
So New Zealand have an affinity with the pursuit, and might also tend towards a parochial view of yesterday's developments for the London Olympics in 2012.
The International Olympic Committee has dashed Shanks and Roulston's aspirations with its decision to slice both individual pursuits, both points races and the men's madison from the programme for London.
The old split of seven men's track events and three for women was, on reflection, lopsided and it was a surprise those with a firm view on these matters hadn't been more vocal before now.
So it is to be a 5-5 gender split, and that's no bad thing.
The five will be the sprint, team sprint, keirin, team pursuit and the five-discipline omnium.
The axing of the individual pursuits has led to the anticipated outcry from those with a particular stance. The world champion, 19-year-old American Taylor Phinney, and two-time Olympic champion Bradley Wiggins are among those sharply affected.
To which, in this neck of the woods, can be added the names of Shanks and Roulston.
The IOC has done its Pontius Pilate bit - claiming it was only following the recommendations of the world cycling body, the UCI.
So if you thought the IOC was the real boss of the Olympic Games, you've now learned something new.
But what if Roulston and Shanks had their success in another discipline - say road racing or the sprints - or even another sport? Would we feel aggrieved? Probably not.
Anyway, New Zealand cycling people tend to be resourceful and strategise soundly.
In Mark Elliott, Bike NZ has a high- performance boss with plenty of smarts.
"For us it's a matter of getting our heads firmly around the new Olympic programme and preparing for it. In that regard our team has much of the planning already done," he said.
So, no grumbling over the UCI sprinkling tacks across the cream of New Zealand's track crop, just get the heads down and get on with a fresh challenge.
Remember, Christchurch rider Hayden Godfrey won the world omnium title two years ago and this year the women's team pursuit won silver at the worlds.
It's tough on Roulston and Shanks for sure, but they will come again.
