The third day of competition in the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Cali, Colombia saw just three titles decided with the first day of the Women’s Sprint and Men’s Omnium occupying the rest of the programme. Rainbow jerseys were awarded in the Men’s Points Race, Men’s Kilometre Time Trial and the Women’s Individual Pursuit. All three were great spectacles, but local interest in the first two ensured a deafening roar from the passionate home fans.
Women’s Sprint
Qualifying for the Women’s Sprint competition saw Team Sprint World Champion Kristina Vogel of Germany top the timing sheets with a 10.946 – one of five riders to go under 11 seconds. Outgoing Sprint World Champion Rebecca James of Great Britain was eight hundredths slower on 10.954 with the same gap seperating James from third placed Tianshi Zhong of China on 10.962.
Hong Kong’s Wai Sze Lee set a time of 10.997 to go fourth with Victoria Williamson of Great Britian fifth on 10.999. Just behind them were Williamson’s compatriot Jessica Varnish and Australia’s Anna Meares tied on 11.045.
Qualifying – 200m Time Trial
1 Kristina VOGEL GER 10.946
2 Rebecca JAMES GBR 10.954
3 Tianshi ZHONG CHN 10.962
4 Wai Sze LEE HKG 10.997
5 Victoria WILLIAMSON GBR 10.999
6 Jessica VARNISH GBR 11.045
7 Anna MEARES AUS 11.045
8 Junhong LIN CHN 11.047
9 Miriam WELTE GER 11.064
10 Virginie CUEFF FRA 11.110
11 Stephanie MORTON AUS 11.112
12 Lisandra GUERRA CUB 11.129
13 Tania CALVO ESP 11.151
14 Olivia MONTAUBAN FRA 11.165
15 Elis LIGTLEE NED 11.176
16 Olga STRELTSOVA RUS 11.218
17 Fatehah MUSTAPA MAS 11.221
18 Anastasiia VOINOVA RUS 11.224
19 Kayono MAEDA JPN 11.330
20 Diana Maria GARCIA COL 11.345
21 Daniela GAXIOLA MEX 11.543
22 Helena CASAS ESP 11.627
23 Shanne BRASPENNINCX NED 11.638
24 Olena TSOS UKR 11.674
25 Frany Maria FONG MEX 11.966
The first round went pretty much to form with the faster qualifiers in every heat but one progressing to the second round. The exception – Tania Calvo of Spain, who beat Lisandra Guerra of Cuba – was in the final heat where the 12th and 13th qualifiers meet.
1/16Â Finals
1 Kristina VOGEL GER
2 Olena TSOS UKR
1 Rebecca JAMES GBR
2 Shanne BRASPENNINCX NED
1 Tianshi ZHONG CHN
2 Helena CASAS ESP
1 Wai Sze LEE HKG
2 Daniela GAXIOLA MEX
1 Victoria WILLIAMSON GBR
2 Diana Maria GARCIA COL
1 Jessica VARNISH GBR
2 Kayono MAEDA JPN
1 Anna MEARES AUS
2 Anastasiia VOINOVA RUS
1 Junhong LIN CHN
2 Fatehah MUSTAPA MAS
1 Miriam WELTE GER
2 Olga STRELTSOVA RUS
1 Virginie CUEFF FRA
2 Elis LIGTLEE NED
1 Stephanie MORTON AUS
2 Olivia MONTAUBAN FRA
1 Tania CALVO ESP
2 Lisandra GUERRA CUB
The first four heats of the second round reflected the qualifying times, too, but the penultimate heat saw the form books upset somewhat. Williamson – fifth fastest over 200m – lost out to Junhong Lin who qualified eighth. In the best match of the day so far, before her team mate Varnish lost a very tight match to Meares. Varnish would make it through to the Quarter Finals through the Repechages while Williamson would moss out to Stephanie Morton of Australia.
1/8Â Finals
1 Kristina VOGEL  GER
2Â TaniaCALVO Â ESP
1 Rebecca JAMES GBR
2 Stephanie MORTON AUS
1 Tianshi ZHONG CHN
2 Virginie CUEFF FRA
1 Wai Sze LEE HKG
2 Miriam WELTE GER
1 Junhong LIN CHN
2 Victoria WILLIAMSON GBR
1 Anna MEARES AUS
2 Jessica VARNISH GBR
Repechages
1 Jessica VARNISH GBR
2 Tania CALVO ESP
3 Miriam WELTE GER
1 Stephanie MORTON AUS
2 Virginie CUEFF FRA
3 Victoria WILLIAMSON GBR
All the Quarter Finals were decided in two straight rides. Vogel comfortably saw off Morton before the reigning World Champion was dumped out of the competition by her team mate. The first match of the heat saw Varnish take a tumble during a track stand, but she got back up and took the win. The second surprise of the round came when Zhong outdragged Meares to go through to the Semis while Lin’s good run continued, the Chinese rider relegating Lee of Hong Kong the to Minor Final, which was one by Williamson.
Quarterfinals
1 Kristina VOGEL GER **
2 Stephanie MORTON AUS
1 Jessica VARNISH GBR **
2 Rebecca JAMES GBR
1 Tianshi ZHONG CHN **
2 Anna MEARES AUS
1 Junhong LIN CHN **
2 Wai Sze LEE HKG
5th-8th
5 Rebecca JAMES GBR
6 Stephanie MORTON AUS
7 Anna MEARES AUS
8 Wai Sze LEE HKG
Men’s Omnium
The time trials are definitely Ed Clancy’s strength in the Omnium and the Great Britain rider got off to a flying start in the Flying Lap with a sensational 12.806. Second placed Tim Veldt of the Netherlands was three points back on 13.163 while last year’s World Champion Aaron Gate of New Zealand was down in 9th place on 13.438 – two places ahead of local here Juan Esteban Arango.
I – Flying Lap
1 Edward CLANCY GBR 12.806
2 Tim VELDT NED 13.163
3 Luke DAVISON AUS 13.187
4 Jasper DEÂ BUYST BEL 13.229
5 Olivier BEER SUI 13.265
6 Viktor MANAKOV RUS 13.267
7 Ondrej RYBIN CZE 13.378
8 Unai ELORRIAGA ESP 13.414
9 Aaron GATE NZL 13.438
10 Thomas BOUDAT FRA 13.509
11 Juan Esteban ARANGO COL 13.558
12 Raman TSISHKOU BLR 13.586
13 Eiya HASHIMOTO JPN 13.628
14 Casper VONÂ FOLSACH DEN 13.673
15 Jacob DUEHRING USA 13.679
16 Francesco CASTEGNARO ITA 13.687
17 Vladyslav KREMINSKYI UKR 13.792
18 Jose Alfredo AGUIRRE MEX 13.842
An enthralling points race saw Eiya Hashimoto of Japan take a lap and an early lead but over the course of the 120 laps no fewer than six other riders would join him on the lead lap. One of the last to bridge the gap was Thimas Boudat of France and, added to his impressive tally of fifteen points, the 20 points for the lap gain were enough to give him the win. It was no more than he deserved – having scored in half the sprints – but the same was true of second placed Una Elorriaga of Spain, who lost out by a single point. Casper Von Folsach of Demark was a point behind Elorriaga in third with Hashimoto a point further back.
In one of the great contrasts of the points race – and great lessons of the Omnium – defending Champion Gates never stopped working at the front of the race but was watched by the bunch and never allowed to slip away and take the lap, while Flying Lap winner Clancy spent most of the race hanging on for grim death at the back of the line. Gates finished 10th, Clancy 13th – just a handful for Omnium points apart.
II – Points Race
1 Thomas BOUDAT FRA 35 points
2 Unai ELORRIAGA ESP 34
3 Casper VONÂ FOLSACH DEN 33
4 Eiya HASHIMOTO JPN 32
5 Juan Esteban ARANGO COL 28
6 Viktor MANAKOV RUS 25
7 Jacob DUEHRING USA 24
8 Jasper DE BUYST BEL 15
9 Tim VELDT NED 12
10 Aaron GATE NZL 9
11 Olivier BEER SUI 8
12 Francesco CASTEGNARO ITA 7
13 Edward CLANCY GBR 5
14 Ondrej RYBIN CZE 3
15 Raman TSISHKOU BLR 2
16 Jose Alfredo AGUIRRE MEX
17 Vladyslav KREMINSKYI UKR
18 Luke DAVISON AUS
A controversial Elimination race featured a massive crash early on which eliminated several riders and caused a long neutralised phase and then the disqualification of Jasper De Buyst of Belgium. De Buyst, who the Belgiums were quietly confident might get a podium this year, was eliminated because the commisaire’s felt he had only avoided being the last rider by passing his opponents on the cote d’azur. Whether De Buyst knew that and disagreed with the ruling or simply believed he’d been eliminated incorrectly as last rider, he refused to leave the race. This – and the subsequent protests from the Belgian coaching staff – led to his disqualification from the Omnium and a couple of fines from the UCI.
Meanwhile, at the front of the race it Points Race winner Boudat and Gate who were the last two left standing and it was Boudat who sprinted away to take the win.
III – Elimination Race
1 Thomas BOUDAT FRA
2 Aaron GATE NZL
3 Viktor MANAKOV RUS
4 Eiya HASHIMOTO JPN
5 Raman TSISHKOU BLR
6 Juan Esteban ARANGO COL
7 Tim VELDT NED
8 Edward CLANCY GBR
9 Vladyslav KREMINSKYI UKR
10 Ondrej RYBIN CZE
11 Olivier BEER SUI
12 Jacob DUEHRING USA
13 Casper VONÂ FOLSACH DEN
14 Unai ELORRIAGA ESP
15 Jose Alfredo AGUIRRE MEX
16 Luke DAVISON AUS
17 Francesco CASTEGNARO ITA
DSQ Jasper DEÂ BUYST BEL
After his pair of wins in the bunch races, Boudat was the overnight leader on 12 points with Viktor Manakov of Russia three points back in second. Tim Veldt of the Netherlands was third on 18 points, three ahead of Gate and Hashimoto with Clancy rounding out the top 6 another point behind. Gate and Clancy’s chances should improve on the second day with both expected to be at the top of the timing sheets in the Kilo and the Individual Pursuit.
Current Standings
1 Thomas BOUDAT FRA 12
2 Viktor MANAKOV RUS 15
3 Tim VELDT NED 18
4 Aaron GATE NZL 21
5 Eiya HASHIMOTO JPN 21
6 Edward CLANCY GBR 22
7 Juan Esteban ARANGO COL 22
8 Unai ELORRIAGA ESP 24
9 Olivier BEER SUI 27
10 Casper VONÂ FOLSACH DEN 30
11 Ondrej RYBIN CZE 31
12 Raman TSISHKOU BLR 32
13 Jacob DUEHRING USA 34
14 Luke DAVISON AUS 37
15 Vladyslav KREMINSKYI UKR 43
16 Francesco CASTEGNARO ITA 45
17 Jose Alfredo AGUIRRE MEX 49
DSQ Jasper BUYST BEL
Women’s Individual Pursuit
Ganna Solovei of the Ukraine set the early pace in heat three with a 3:33.244 before Great Britain’s Joanna Rowsell jumped to the top of the leaderboard in heat five with a 3:30.610. Amy Cure of Australia came close in the penultimate heat with a 3:30.895 which left just two riders – Sarah Hammer of the USA and Caroline Ryan of Ireland. Ryan’s time of 3:37.847 was good enough for six but Hammer sliced almost a second of Roswell’s time to progress to the Final.
Qualifying
1 Sarah HAMMER USA 3:29.711
2 Joanna ROWSELL GBR 3:30.610
3 Amy CURE AUS 3:30.895
4 Ganna SOLOVEI UKR 3:33.244
5 Maria Luisa CALLE COL 3:37.576
6 Caroline RYAN IRL 3:37.847
7 Eugenia BUJAK POL 3:38.138
8 Leire OLABERRIA ESP 3:40.069
9 Elinor BARKER GBR 3:41.609
10 Ruth WINDER USA 3:42.908
11 Els BELMANS BEL 3:43.330
12 Beatrice BARTELLONI ITA 3:43.577
13 Lotte KOPECKY BEL 3:43.921
14 Yudelmis DOMINGUEZ CUB 3:45.293
15 Maria Giulia CONFALONIERI ITA 3:48.166
The gap between Rowsell and Hammer in qualifying had been just under a second. A kilometre in to the Final and Rowsell was up by the same margin – and she simply held it. By the finish she was 1.2 seconds up, but at no point did she look as though she was under any pressure from the American. The Bronze medal ride saw the impressive Solovei close the gap to her opponent from three seconds to one, but she couldn’t stop Cure from taking the Bronze.
Finals
GOLD Joanna ROWSELL GBR 3:30.318
SILVER Sarah HAMMER USA 3:31.535
BRONZE Amy CURE AUS 3:36.174
4 Ganna SOLOVEI UKR 3:37.003
Men’s 1Km Time Trial
After his performance in the Keirin, expectations for Colombia’s Fabian Hernando Puerta’s performance in the Kilo were high amongst the Cali crowd and the noise was deafening as he didn’t disappoint, setting a time of 1:01.110. Hugo Haak of the Netherlands clocked 1:01.076 and Krzysztof Maksel of Poland 1:00.533 to relegate Puerta to the Bronze medal position, but there was more to come. Simon Van Velthooven of New Zealand did a 1:00.518 and then Germany’s Joachim Eilers broke the track record and became the first man under the minute mark with a 59.984.
That left only the new Keirin World Champion Francois Pervis and at the half way mark the Frenchman – whose victory celebrations two days ago had been somehwhat overshadowed by Puerta’s Silver – was almost a second up on Eilers. He faded slightly in the last lap – but only slightly – and took the Gold with an incerdibel 59.385.
GOLD Francois PERVIS FRA 59.385
SILVER Joachim EILERS GER 59.984
BRONZE Simon VANÂ VELTHOOVEN NZL 1:00.518
4 Krzysztof MAKSEL POL 1:00.533
5 Hugo HAAK NED 1:01.076
6 Fabian Hernando PUERTA COL 1:01.110
7 Michael D’ALMEIDA FRA 1:01.154
8 Eric ENGLER GER 1:01.327
9 Tomas BABEK CZE 1:01.924
10 Andrey KUBEEV RUS 1:02.024
11 Hodei MAZQUIARAN ESP 1:02.041
12 Kian EMADIÂCOFFIN GBR 1:02.220
13 Bernard ESTERHUIZEN RSA 1:02.546
14 Roberto SERRANO MEX 1:02.968
15 Seiichiro NAKAGAWA JPN 1:03.110
Men’s Points Race
The highlight of a fantastic night’s racing was the Men’s Points Race which saw the crowd on its feet for most of the 160 laps as 2011 World Champion Edwin Avila lapped the field three times to take a commanding lead – despite picking up only a handful of points in the sprints.
Eloy Teruel of Spain was one of four riders to lap the field twice and briefly overtook Avila because of his superior points scoring record – wiinning one sprint and getting three second places. But no sooner had he taken the lead than Avila took another lap and took it back.
Despite Avila’s tireless pursuit of 20 point bonuses, on the run in to the final Sprint New Zealand’s Tom Scully – a lap behind but the winner of three sprints and runner-up in another three – was just five points behind. A win in the Final sprint would give him the title – as long as Avila didn’t score.
Avila knew that only too well and didn’t care where he finished, as long as he finished one place behind the Kiwi – so he glued himself to Scully’s rear wheel with 5 to go and stayed there until the finsh.
The celebrations around the velodrome were a sight and sound that nobody who was there will ever forget – and the entire crowd belting out the Colombian national anthem during the medal ceremony is something we’ve never experienced before. A fitting end to a great day’s competition.Â
GOLD Edwin AVILA COL 70
SILVER Thomas SCULLY NZL 66
BRONZE Eloy TERUEL ESP 58
4 Andreas GRAF AUT 50
5 King Lok CHEUNG HKG 41
6 Martyn IRVINE IRL 35
7 Theo REINHARDT GER 34
8 Ivan SAVITCKII RUS 33
9 Thery SCHIR SUI 26
10 Glenn O’SHEA AUS 24
11 Milan KADLEC CZE 23
12 Kenny DEÂ KETELE BEL 11
13 Elia VIVIANI ITA 7
14 Roman LUTSYSHYN UKR 4
15 Vivien BRISSE FRA 3
16 Anton MUZYCHKIN BLR
17 Owain DOULL GBR
DNF Lasse Norman HANSEN DEN
DNF Ivan CARBAJAL MEX
DNF Nolan HOFFMAN RSA DNF
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