The New Gig

LAST YEAR'S COPENHAGEN CLIMATE CONFERENCE ENDED UP A DAMP SQUIB, BUT THE UCI WORLD TRACK CYCLING CHAMPIONSHIPS IN THE DANISH CAPITAL TURNED OUT AN ABSOLUTE SCORCHER.

"It was a world championships that showed us we are in touch to challenge for the top of the podium in so many events," high performance director Mark Elliott reported at the conclusion of racing at Copenhagen's Ballerup Super Arena.

Well said. New Zealand's four medals (two silvers, two bronzes) beat the tally from last year's championships in Poland (gold, silver, bronze). Add to that, the team scored a new world record, plus a stream of national records and personal bests. No golds, but everything else.

Jesse Sergent had a superb meet, winning silver in the 4000m men's individual pursuit behind American reigning champion Taylor Phinney. It was New Zealand's first ever worlds medal in the event, although Gary Anderson won bronze in the 1992 Olympic Games. Sergent actually rode faster than Phinney in the qualifying round, 4min 15.9sec (first kiwi under 4min 16sec) but he wasn't able to repeat that in the final.

Sergent joined Sam Bewley, Peter Latham and Wes Gough for the teams pursuit. Their cracking 3min 59.4sec beat Denmark for the bronze medal, despite Sergent puncturing three laps from the finish and having to sit up. Fortunately, the kiwis had built up a substantial lead, so the others were able to carry on victorious. "The boys had been on track for a 3min 57sec so it was a shame they never got to finish off the complete ride at pace," said Elliott.

The women's 25km points race saw Lauren Ellis of Ashburton win the silver medal. Ellis got into an early break of five that gained a lap. Mid-race, the 20 year-old attacked again and then won the final sprint – a great mix of smart and strong.

Ellis was also one of the kiwi women's pursuit team that made the podium – although their best ride came one too late. Rushlee Buchanan, Alison Shanks and Ellis failed to make the gold-silver medal contest. In the bronze medal ride-off they gained the ultimate moral, and morale, victory by cracking the world record and downing the USA. Their 4min 21.5sec finale was quicker than Australia's gold medal ride over Great Britain.

That was a stunning comeback for Shanks, who went into the individual pursuit hoping to repeat her 2009 rainbow jersey. Shanks was third fastest in qualifying but was edged out into fourth place in the bronze medal ride.

BikeNZ's sprint programme proved its worth, even without medals. In their debut men's team sprint at the worlds, Adam Stewart, Sam Webster and Eddie Dawkins claimed fifth and a new national record. Dawkins was also fifth in the kilometre time trial, beating his own New Zealand record time.

In the individual sprint, Dawkins, Webster, and Ethan Mitchell all produced personal best times with Dawkins qualifying ninth fastest in 10.109sec. The sprinters' ages - Stewart 23, Dawkins 21, Webster and Mitchell 19 – shows these are very, very exciting times.

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STORY BY + JIM ROBINSON
PHOTOS COURTESY + GERRY MCMANUS, BIKENZ