The men's team pursuit produced a stunning display in the ride-off against USA. Photo: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
New Zealand men's team pursuit have produced an outstanding performance to claim the bronze medal to highlight day two of the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Santiago, Chile.
The Kiwi team thought it had two bronze medals, after a superb ride by Campbell Stewart, who was originally given third place in the 10km race, which was restarted twice.
However, officials ruled the race went one lap over distance and, on corrected result, Stewart was listed as fifth.
The NZ team pursuit quartet of Nick Kergozou, Tom Sexton, Keegan Hornblow and Marshall Erwood were fourth fastest in qualifying for the bronze medal ride, then produced an excellent display in the ride-off against USA, clocking their best time of the competition of 3m 48.877s.
They employed a new tactic, slotting starter Kergozou into third wheel on the first change, as they edged ahead after the first kilometre. Kergozou did the extra stint before his planned exit, with the three remaining riders just 0.5s ahead at halfway.
They increased this to one second, which they held comfortably to the finish.
"It was a really good ride by the boys," said Sexton. "It was our fastest of the three rides over the two days.
"We qualified fourth and ended up fourth after the first round, so to knock off the Americans for the bronze is cool. To get three rides at the world champs is really good and to win against the Americans is good."
The men's 10km scratch race had a jumbled start and the race split apart, with a group of five riders clear. Stewart joined the Netherlands rider to bridge the gap with some powerful riding, before he rounded the group for he thought was the bell lap.
That proved not to be, when officials determined they had completed the 10km distance on the previous lap.
Earlier, Olympic champion Ellesse Andrews was edged out of the women's sprint quarterfinals in her first major competition since the Paris Olympics. In a tight competition, Andrews qualified seventh in 10.432s, but only 0.1s from the top qualifier.
After winning the first two rounds, the Kiwi rider met Dutchwoman Hetty van der Wouw, whom she beat in the keirin final at Paris. In the best-of-three series, van der Wouw proved sharper in two tight rides to move to the semifinals.
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