Another day and another five World titles up for grabs. As always the titles will be decided this evening, but after this afternoon’s qualifying sessions we know who’ll be riding for the medals in the Men’s Individual Pursuit, Women’s Team Pursuit and Men’s Team Sprint. And while the first was somewhat predictable and the second almost inevitable, the third may come as a surprise (unless you read our preview…).
With Minsk staging the last ever three rider, 3km Women’s Team Pursuit, could the Great Britain trio keep up their incredible record and lower the World Record again in their penultimate ride?
trackcycling’s coverage of the 2013 World Track Championships is supported by V-Sprint
trackcycling’s coverage of the 2013 World Track Championships is supported by V-Sprint
Men’s Individual Pursuit
Qualifying
The Men’s Individual Pursuit is another event that has been marginalised slightly by its removal from the Olympic Games, but track cycling’s traditional blue riband event is still enormously important to most of the nations taking part – a fact reflected in the 22 man staring list.
Great Britain switched Andy Tennant for Steven Burke at the last minute, but he was never really on the pace as he was chased down by Australian Alexander Morgan. Morgan’s 4:22.785 couldn’t quite match early leader Stefan Keung from Switzerland – who set a new Swiss record with a 4:22.530 – but it was 10 seconds ahead of Burke who would finish 17th.
Martyn Irvine of Ireland guaranteed that he would at least one match the Silver he won at the Glasgow World Cup late last year with a 4:20.260 but going one better in the Final against reigning World Champion Michael Hepburn of Australia – who clocked 4:18.456 n qualifying – is going to be an uphill task.
1 Michael HEPBURN AUS 4:18.456
2 Martyn IRVINE IRL 4:20.260
3 Stefan KUENG SUI 4:22.530
4 Alexander MORGAN AUS 4:22.785
Women’s Team Pursuit
Qualifying
The most predictable event of the day was the Women’s Team Pursuit with Great Britain always hot favourites to make the Gold medal final. The only real question was whether it would be Australia or Canada that joined them. Katarzyna Pawlowska, Malgorzata Wojtyra and Eugenia Bujak of Poland put in an early bid to upset the bookies with a 3:28.096 but that was eclipsed by Gillian Carleton, Jasmin Glaesser and Laura Brown who went over five seconds faster on 3:22.784.
The Australian trio of Annette Edomndson, Ashlee Ankudinoff and Melissa Hoskins moved to the top of the leaderboard with a 3:20.696 but Laura Trott, Dani King and Elinor Barker never looked likely to finish anywhere other than the top of the leaderboard and cruised round to dominant 3:18.704, looking as though they had plenty in hand.
Minsk isn’t a fast track, so the chances are that Great Britain’s 3km Women’s Team Pursuit Record will stand forever as the format changes on Monday. But King, Tritt and Barker are determined to make absolutely sure.
1 Great Britain (Laura TROTT, Dani KING, Elinor BARKER) 3:18.704
2 Australia (Annette EDMONDSON, Ashlee ANKUDINOFF, Melissa HOSKINS) 3:20.696
3 Canada (Gillian CARLETON, Jasmin GLAESSER, Laura BROWN) 3:22.784
4 Poland (Katarzyna PAWLOWSKA, Malgorzata WOJTYRA, Eugenia BUJAK) 3:28.096
Qualifying
The real shock of the day – suprise, perhaps, rather than shock – was the performance of World and Olympic champions Great Britain in the Team Sprint. The third fastest opening lap from Philip Hindes left them in with a shout and Jason Kenny was second quickest – keeping the team ranked third – but young Kian Emadi’s last lap was just 13th fastest – possibly as a result of his heroic effort in the kilo yesterday afternoon – and the team could do no better than 6th.
France and Germany have dominated the event over the last few years – at least, in non-Olympic years but the French trio of Julien Palma, Francois Pervis and Michael D’Almeida had to make do with a Bronze medal ride after clocking 43.793 to just shade Australia. Scott Sunderland, Mitchell Bullen and Matthew Galetzer stopped the clock at 43.890 to ease ahead of Russia in the final heat.
The German line-up – one of three or four world class trios that have to call on – of Rene Enders, Stefan Botticher and Max Levy set a time of 43.731 – good enough to make the final, but
two tenths off New Zealand’s 43.580. Ethan Mitchell, Sam Webster and Eddie Dawkins will ride for Gold this evening.
1 New Zealand (Ethan MITCHELL, Sam WEBSTER, Edward DAWKINS) 43.580
2 Germany (Rene ENDERS, Stefan BOTTICHER, Maximilian LEVY) 43.731
3 France (Julien PALMA, Francois PERVIS, Michael D’ALMEIDA) 43.792
4 Australia (Scott SUNDERLAND, Mitchell BULLEN, Matthew GLAETZER) 43.890
trackcycling’s coverage of the 2013 World Track Championships is supported by V-Sprint