Holly Edmondston, Bryony Botha, Rushlee Buchanan and Jaime Nielsen of New Zealand. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
Holly Edmondston, Bryony Botha, Rushlee Buchanan and Jaime Nielsen of New Zealand. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
The New Zealand men's pursuit team will ride for bronze in Tokyo on Wednesday, after narrowly missing the chance to duel for gold.
The Kiwis suffered an agonising defeat by Italy in heat three on Tuesday night, after being overhauled on the final lap.
It was one of the greatpursuit races in New Zealand Olympic history, as the Italians broke the world record, to beat New Zealand by a margin of 0.090 seconds, in what was essentially a semi-final.
The lead changed on numerous occasions throughout the race, but the Kiwi quartet looked well placed as they went ahead on the penultimate lap.
But the Europeans managed an amazing finish, to pip the New Zealand team, recording 3:42.307 to New Zealand's 3:42.397
The squad of Aaron Gate, Campbell Stewart, Regan Gough and Jordan Kerby, who rode superbly in the Izu Velodrome, will face Australia in the battle for third, scheduled for 8:59pm (NZT).
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New Zealand achieved bronze medals in the event in Beijing and London, while the current quartet were second at the 2020 world championships.
That was the high point of Tuesday's action from a New Zealand perspective, with the women's team pursuit and men's team sprint unable to replicate previous results on the world stage.
New Zealand placed eighth in the women's team pursuit, shaded by France in the ride off for seventh, with the Europeans clocking 4:10.388 to finish 0.212 seconds ahead.
Holly Edmondston, Bryony Botha, Rushlee Buchanan and Jamie Nielsen were on top for the first 3000m, before being overhauled on the last kilometre.
Holly Edmondston, Bryony Botha, Rushlee Buchanan and Jaime Nielsen of New Zealand. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
The New Zealand team had finished fourth in this event in Rio, but it's always hard to maintain dominance in this ultra competitive sport.
Earlier on Tuesday evening the Kiwis were edged by Australia in the first round, despite setting a new national record.
In a trans-Tasman thriller, New Zealand clocked 4:10.223, only 0.231 of a second behind the green and gold squad. It was the seventh fastest time among the heats, ending any chance of a tilt at a bronze medal.
Germany destroyed Great Britain in the gold medal race, clocking 4.04.29 in a new world record time. It was the first time the Brits were beaten in the women's team pursuit at Olympic level, after golds in London and Rio.
In the men's team sprint, Sam Dakin, Ethan Mitchell and Sam Webster placed seventh, after winning a ride off with Poland.
The Poles managed a blistering start, before the Kiwi quartet reeled them to finish comfortably in 43.703, almost three seconds ahead.
But it was anti- climax for the highly rated trio, who arrived in the Japanese capital with high hopes.
They enjoyed a solid start on Tuesday, placed fifth after qualifying in 43.066.
That set up a heat with France, with the winner progressing to either the gold or bronze medal race, depending on the time. But the Europeans made a strong start and couldn't be reeled in, stopping the clock at 42.294, with New Zealand 0.684 seconds behind in 42.978.
New Zealand had achieved silver in Rio in 2016, with the raw power of Eddie Dawkins a major factor.
The Netherlands took gold, setting a new Olympic record (41.369) in a demolition of Great Britain (44.589). France claimed bronze (42.331), beating Australia by 1.682 seconds.
