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Marc Ryan
The BikeNZ track team grabbed two further victories to
cap an outstanding campaign at the UCI World Cup in Melbourne
last night.
Talented teenager Tom Scully teamed up with experienced
Timaru rider Marc Ryan to win the 40km men's Madison in
brilliant fashion.
The world silver medal winning women's team pursuit got one
back with an impressive display to dominate Great Britain,
turning the tables on their result at the world
championships.
This brought New Zealand's tally to four gold medals, a
silver and a bronze in the World Cup which has also qualified
a goodly number of disciplines for next year's world
championships.
"Overall I am very happy with the results," said BikeNZ head
coach Tim Carswell.
"Perhaps the most pleasing aspect is the development in the
depth of the squad with the women's pursuit developing a
group of girls going very well.
"We've seen the emergence of a sprint squad for the first
time and they have been competitive. And then we have Tom
Scully who has been outstanding."
Scully and Ryan teamed up with the Germans to put a lap on
the field with 30 laps remaining in the 160 lap race before
outkicking their rivals to win the next sprint and take a
crucial two point advantage, with only three teams on the
same lap.
The Ukraine team attacked but the kiwis responded to roll
over the top of them. Ryan then used his skill and experience
to put in a massive surge to gap their rivals, allowing
Scully to bring it home to win the final sprint and the
title.
"Tom's ride in the scratch race was unbelievable. And he and
Dream (Marc Ryan) were fantastic tonight. Our special
madision training came with Australian great Brett Aitken
really paid off tonight in the technique and tactical
appreciation."
Carswell said the men's pursuit were disappointed not to make
the final after he spelled ace Jesse Sergent from the heats
but in the overall scheme it has helped develop experience at
this level.
"Sometimes you have to lose a battle to win the war."
Carswell said he was pleased with the performance from the
sprint squad in their first world cup and wanted to ensure
they continue their hard work through to the Beijing World
Cup next year.
BikeNZ national women's coach Dayle Cheatley gambled on
bringing in the fresh legs of Auckland's Kaytee Boyd for the
final of the women's pursuit, with the team producing a
precision display to dominate the Great Britain trio.
Boyd, Alison Shanks and Lauren Ellis were ahead from the
start and were never threatened, going on to clock 3:24.771,
their third fastest time ever, with the British more than a
second behind.
"I am very proud of them tonight. They executed the plan
without fault. That's what was most pleasing to me. I wanted
them to ride to the plan and if it was good enough then that
was fine," Cheatley said.
"That absolutely nailed it. And the decision to bring in
fresh legs with Kaytee definitely worked for us."
Earlier Eddie Dawkins (Invercargill) was beaten in the final
of the B Sprint but finished in the top 10 after his
outstanding 10.361 effort in qualifying on the dead Melbourne
track.
Result, menbs Madison, 40km: New Zealand (Marc Ryan, Tom
Scully) 16 points, 1; Germany 8, 2; Ukraine 6, 3.
Women's 3000m team pursuit, gold medal ride-off: New Zealand
(Kaytee Boyd, Lauren Ellis, Alison Shanks) 3:24.771, 1; Great
Britain 3:25.938, 2.
Bronze medal ride-off: Australia 3:26.869, 3; Ukraine
3:30.156, 4.
Men's sprints, qualifying: Eddie Dawkins 10.361, 9th.
Round 2: Dawkins lost to Peter Lewis (AUS) 10.665.
B semifinal: Dawkins beat David Daniell (GBR) 10.918.
B Final: Dawkins lost to Jason Niblett (AUS) 11.029.
