France led the medals table after the first day of competition at the European Masters Track Championship in Manchester with an impressive five Gold medals. But they didn’t have it all their own way with hosts Great Britain taking four and Germany and Denmark one each.
Photography by David Jack
500m TT
Male 70+
Peter Tranberg of Denmark took Gold in his first year of moving into the older age group, and improving on his 65-69 Bronze from last year with a time of 41.824. Great Britain’s Brian Dacey improved on his fifth place in 2008 to secure Sliver with 42.137 and 77-year old Derek Thurrell made it two Bronzes in two years with an impressive 42.30.
GOLD Peter TRANBERG DEN
SILVER Brian DACEY GBR
BRONZE Derek THURELL GBR
Male 65-69
500m TT
Great Britain’s Geoff Cooke – another rider moving up an age category – also took Gold to add to his Championship win in the 60-64 group last year. His time of 37.244 was a new European record. Peter Smith had to settle for Silver after winning Gold last year. He clocked 39.311. Roland Rolleau of France – a newcomer to the event – took the Bronze medal with 40.401
GOLD Geoff COOKE GBR
SILVER Peter SMITH GBR
BRONZE Roland ROLLEAU FRA
Male 60-64
Gerard Louis Robert of France continued the trend of riders continuing to dominate at they move age groups – as well as breaking existing records – when he took the Gold medal with 36.196, six tenths of a second faster than Geoff Cooke’s previous mark. Geoff Brandt of Great Britain scored his first medal in European Championships when he took the Silver with 38.599, relegating last year’s runner up, Grazino Pantosti of Italy, to Bronze with 38.793
GOLD Gerard Louis ROBERT FRA
SILVER Geoff BRANDT GBR
BRONZE Grazino PANTOSTI ITA
Male 55-59
2007 Worlds Gold Medalist Marc Dangleterre added to his Silver from last year’s event, taking Gold with 37.210. Terry Cromer of Ireland shaved the Frenchman close when he returned a time 0.156 seconds slower while Ian Humphreys of Great Britain did almost the same. His time of 37.639 was good enough to earn him the Bronze ahead of last year’s Bronze medalist Steve Davies. Just 6 tenths of a second separated the first four positions.
GOLD Marc DANGLETERRE FRA
SILVER Terry CROMER IRE
BRONZE Ian HUMPHREYS GBR
Male 50-54
Dave LeGrys of trackcycling test team Team Terminator was short of training after a recent broken collarbone. Laser welded back together, he had enough in the tank for 2 laps as he added to last year’s Gold with 34.864, just short of his 2008 European record of 34.464. Steve Cronshaw repeated his Silver of last year with 36.161 while David Smith took his first European medal with 36.531
GOLD Dave LE GRYS GBR
SILVER Steve CRONSHAW GBR
BRONZE David SMITH GBR
Male 45-49
Philippe Vernet of France also repeated his win of last year when his 50.960 again proved too good for 2008 silver medalist Ivor Reid of Great Britain. Peter Ettles and Adrian Dent, also of Great Britain pushed last year’s silver medalist Martin Stephens into fifth, Ettles taking the Bronze with 52.793
GOLD Philippe VERNET FRA
SILVER Ivor REID GBR
BRONZE Peter ETTLES GBR
750m TT
Male 40-44
Continuing the trend of the evening, Ahcen Aggar repeated his 2008 championship winning performance and added France’s fourth of the evening. His 51.010 proved too good for John Saysell who took the Sliver with 52.287. With last year’s Silver medalist Dirk Engler absent, Tim Lawson of Great Britain took the Bronze, less than a tenth of a second slower with 52.356
GOLD Ahcen AGGAR FRA
SILVER Dirk ENGLER GER
BRONZE John SAYSELL GBR
1000m TT
Male 35-39
Big German Olaf Schnaar stormed to his first European medal when he crossed the line in a new European record of 1.08.944. In the abs
ence of 2008 winner Gwyn Carless, Great Britain’s Adam Roberts stepped up to take the Silver with 1.09.910 while another medalist from 2008, Christos Rantos of Greece took a second Bronze home after posting 1.10.472
GOLD Olaf SHNAAR GER
SILVER Adam ROBERTS GBR
BRONZE Christos RANTOS GRE
Male 30-34
Bruce Croall, the reigning European Masters Record holder again led a Great Britain one-two when he pushed Ben Ellliot into second. Croall’s 1.05.164 just edged Elliot’s 1.06.925. Vincen Kerfourn of France had to settle with Bronze for the second year running with 1.07.228 seconds
GOLD Bruce CROALL GBR
SILVER Ben ELLIOT GBR
BRONZE Vincent KERFOURN FRA
Bush Healthcare Over 60’s Scratch (Non-Championship event)
Guido Lupo of Italy again took this non-championship event for Over 60’s as he edged out Euro Master first timer Heinz Bandener. Michel Briat of France moved up from last years fourth place to claim third
1 Guido LUPO ITA
2 Brian DACEY GBR
3 Hugh DAVIS IRE
Womens 40-49 Points
Janet Birkmyre stuck to the same game plan as last year as she again cleaned up all five sprints to claim her fifth European Gold medal with a total of 25 points. Petra Kluender – an age category up from Birkmyre in this combined event – turned in another typically gutsy ride to take the Sliver with 12 points. Christine Higgs kept Kluender constantly looking over her shoulder though, as she claimed her first European medal with 9 points
GOLD Janet BIRKMYRE GBR
SILVER Petra KLUENDER GER
BRONZE Christine HIGGS GBR
Womens 30-39
Last year’s Gold medalist Christelle Ribault of France turned herself inside out to secure the win this time as Germany provided a formidable opponent in the shape of Sabrina Hucks with Siobhan Mullan of Great Britain again having to settle for Bronze. Ribault’s consistency proved crucial in the end though and going into the last sprint, she was a single point ahead as Rosin Kennedy did her a favour in taking the 5 points on offer and the Ribault beat Hucks into third place
GOLD Christelle RIBAULT FRA
SILVER Sabrina HUCKS GER
BRONZE Siobhan MULLAN GBR
Photography by David Jack