CYCLING

New Zealand Team Sprint to ride for Gold Medal

By Sports Media NZ

The New Zealand men’s team sprint trio are through to the gold medal ride in the final session of the UCI World Cup in Los Angeles later this afternoon (NZT).

The trio of Ethan Mitchell, Sam Webster and Eddie Dawkins clocked 43.620 to be fastest in the second round and qualify for the final against Germany who were only 0.3s slower in winning their clash.

It is the final time that the Cycling New Zealand trio will wear their rainbow stripes as world champions before the UCI World Championships in Hong Kong in April.

It will be a busy final session for Webster who is also through to the second round of the keirin competition.

Waikato’s Jaime Nielsen will ride off for the bronze medal against Poland’s Justyna Kaczkowskna in the women’s 3000m individual pursuit.
 

Other New Zealand riders in action include the rising teenage stars, Tom Sexton and Campbell Stewart in the 30km men’s Madison, after both won medals yesterday.Racquel Sheath joins Michaela Drummond in the women’s Madison over 20kms while Alysha Keith competes in the Scratch race.

Sprinter Natasha Hansen, who won an historic medal in the Keirin competition, was edged out in the deciding third ride of the individual sprint quarterfinal by Olena Stankova. Earlier she qualified fourth fastest in 11.118 behind top qualifier Kristina Vogel of Germany who was timed at 10.896.

Today’s final session will be shown live on Sky Sport Pop-Up Channel 55 from 2pm.

DETAILS: www.uci.ch or www.cyclingnewzealand.nz