Day 3 - Morning Session
Women's 45+ sprint
Already a winner in these championships in an endurance event, Britain’s Janet Birkmyre was the fastest qualifier, two tenths fastest than Aussie Lise Benjamin with the rest of the riders off the pace of these two. Round 1 was a formality for Birkmyre and Benjamin who went through with ease as did Deborah Capewell who was the final rider through to the second round.
The only way through to the second round for the rest was in the repechages where there were three heats. In these, Makiko Hamada beat Marita Box, Jane Chateaubriand beat Sue Taverner and in the final heat, Emi Wachi beat Bonnie Woodbury and Bernadette Leinenweber.
Men's 35-39 individual pursuit
Axel Boland from the Netherlands was the fastest qualifier in this 3,000m race against the clock. He will meet Britain’s Arthur Doyle in the final for Gold while the Bronze medal will see a scrap between Andrew Gerber of Australia and Boyd Roberts of Australia.
Men's 40-44 individual pursuit
Two riders from the Southern Hemisphere would contest the gold and silver medal ride off after David Stevens (AUS) recorded the fastest time of 3:24:951, a clear three seconds clear of Argentinian rider Daniel Del Barco (ARG) 3:28:087.
The bronze medal race off meanwhile would see two British riders go head to head, Elliott Davis (3.34.738) and Oliver Davies (3:35:194).
Men's 50-54 points race
Qualifying
In heat 1, there was a truly international feel to the result of this race with riders from all round the world among the 12 who qualified for the final headed up by Francisco Lombardo of Argentina. In all, 18 riders took to the start which meat six were going to miss the cut. The battle for points was so high that two of the riders had to retire with only 11 of the remaining riders were on the same lap.
In heat 2, a crash early in the race involving four or five riders, saw the race stopped and the heat postponed until the evening session.
Men's 45-49 Points Race
Qualifying (12 riders in each heat)
With a large entry for this event and only 24 riders allowed for the final, two 10km heats, with sprints every 10 laps were held and from each heat, 12 riders would qualify. In heat 1, five riders, Anthony Nash (GBR), Michael Blasczyk (GER), Dieter Schumacher (GER), Jacques Suire (FRA) and David Jack (GBR) took a lap and scored 10 points which sealed their qualification for the final.
The remaining riders had to scrap for points and with 14 riders in all scoring points, two of them missed out with the first 12 going through.
In heat 2, there were no breaks that were able to stick and so it became a battle in each sprint to be among the top four across the line and the rider with the most points was Peter Ettles of Britain. The finish of the race however came early after a crash saw four or five riders crash heavily just after the finish line prior to a mid race sprint and with one needing a stretcher, the race was stopped.
One of those involved, Stephen McNally was stretchered off and is doubtful for the final despite scoring points that put him among the top 12 in the race up to the point of the crash.
Day 3 - Evening Session
Ten world titles were decided in a thrilling nights racing that saw two nail biting points races where a puncture robbed one of the contenders of the title a lap from the finish, a time trial where a rider nearly killed last year in Portugal came back to win again as well as some exciting sprinting from the women and pursuiting from the men.
Men's 45-49 points race
Of all the races during the evening, this was one of the best, a cracking points race that was quite brutal and certainly very exciting with only a couple of points covering a lot of riders for much of the race which meant the title went right down to the wire.
We should have known from the word go who the winner was going to be because if anyone was hungry for the title, it was Germany’s Michael Blasczyk who attacked in the opening laps and held on to win the first sprint from David Klipper of the USA. The effort though must have hurt Blasczyk because the next sprint ten laps later was won by German Gomez (ARG) with Blasczyk out of the points.
The trend of a different winner for the sprint continued with the third one won by Kerry Hartford of New Zealand which left the race with three riders tied for the lead, Gomez and Blasczyk and Hartford, all with five points each.
There was another winner again for the fourth sprint but Blasczyk was getting back into the groove of the race again and his points for second in that sprint saw him draw clear of his rivals with New Zealander Hartford in second. There were more points for the leader in the fifth sprint where he was third behind winner Colin Parkinson and Ian Greenstreet who had managed to put some daylight between themselves and the bunch for a short time.
While the German Blasczyk lead the race, a compatriot of his, Thomas Kapuste, had been making his move up the table undetected, scoring a point here and three points there to move up into third position and for sprint six, with the race having grouped after a rather active period in the race, Thomas Kapuste managed to score maximum points while both Blasczyk and Hartford didn’t score at all.
Michael Blasczyk was getting edgy as his countryman closed in on his win and as he did at the start, Blasczyk attacked with 13 to go but was quickly brought back and he paid for the effort with Kerry Hartford getting maximum points for the penultimate sprint, Kapuste getting two and Blasczyk none. It was all change at the top of the table with Thomas Kapuste (GER) leading from Kerry Hartford (NZL) and then Michael Blasczyk (GER).
With one sprint to go, one point separated gold from silver with the rider in third another point back. So what did Michael Blasczyk do – he attacked of course three laps from home and whilst he was caught by German Gomez (ARG) who took the five points for the final sprint, Blasczyk got three which put him on the same as Kapuste but having finished in front of his fellow German in the final sprint, the title went to Michael Blasczyk!
Result
1. Michael Blasczyk (GER) 13
2. Thomas Kapuste (GER)13
3. Kerry Hartford (NZL) 12
4. German Gomez (ARG) 11
5. Peter Ettles (GBR) 8
6. Geoffrey Baxter (AUS)
7. Colin Parkinson (GBR)
8. David Klipper (USA)
9. Ian Greenstreet (GBR)
10. Douw Grundling (RSA)
Men's 50-54 points race
Canadian Stephane Lebeau won this thrilling race but it was a case of what might have been for former Brit Shaun Wallace now riding for the USA. A puncture on the final lap crushed his hopes of winning the race with Lebeau taking full advantage by winning the final sprint and leapfrogging Wallace into the lead and the world title.
The race had from the start been between the Canadian and the rider representing the USA with Wallace having the upper hand in the sprints, winning three in all during the race but not scoring in any others. So while Wallace had won the first sprint, Lebeau, who had been second at sprint number one, then won the second one with Wallace out of the points.
The race looked to be Lebeau’s for the taking until sprint four when Wallace won the five points and Lebeau got nothing. The gap to Lebeau had been cut t and then Wallace took the lead on the fifth sprint getting the five (15 in all) while Lebeau scored three points (14).
Wallace led by one point so the final sprint was going to be crucial and it was but for a different reason. As Lebeau and Wallace wound it up over the closing laps, Wallace was looking the more likely to finish ahead of Lebeau but then Wallace suddenly disappeared from the melee at the front of the race and while Stephane Lebeau won the sprint for the five points, Wallace limped across the line with a flat tyre.
The title was Lebeau’s but Wallace had done enough to finish second while Bernardo Figueroa (COL) got the bronze.
Result
1. Stephane Le Beau (CAN)
2. Shaun Wallace, (USA)
3. Bernardo Figueroa (COL)
4. Sylvan Adams (CAN)
5. Jorge Zoric (ARG)
6. Francisco Lombardo (ARG)
7. Vladimir Zyrianov (RUS)
8. Rubiel Cortes (COL)
9. Ted Kicey (USA)
10. Dante Pereyra (ARG)
Men's 40-44 individual pursuit
Defending champion David Stevens of Australia retained his title, recording a time of 3:28:795 to the 3:31:250 of Daniel Del Barco (ARG). In the battle of the Brits for the Bronze, Elliott Davis (GBR) led from the word go and at the end of the first kilo was already three seconds up on Oliver Davies.
Elliott Davis continued to pull away all the way to the finish where he recorded a time of 3:32:735, almost six seconds faster than Oliver Davies (3:38:223).
Men's 70-74 scratch
There were 18 riders on the start of this race and while the field split from time to time it was looking like a bunch kick until a few laps out Guido Lupo of Italy attacked and held on to win the race alone with the Silver and Bronze taken by the two riders who had gone clear of the bunch in the chase for Lupo, Derrick Woodings and Clive Walmsley, both from Britain.
Result
1. Guido Lupo (ITA)
2. Derrick Woodings (GBR)
3. Clive Walmsley (GBR)
Men's 60-64 time trial
There was another medal for Carlos Reybaud in these championships after he recorded the fastest time for the two laps of the track, a smidgen ahead of Marc Dangleterre (FRA) with Reid Schwartz of the USA getting the bronze.
Result
1. Carlos Reybaud (ARG) 36.840
2. Marc Dangleterre (FRA) 36.983
3. Reid Schwartz (USA) 37.286
8. Steve Davies (GBR) 37.991
11. Geoff Brandt (GBR) 39.646
14. Ian Bell (GBR) 40.816
15. Graham Truelove (GBR) 41.026
17. Chris Streather (GBR) 42.701
18. Doug Convoy (GBR) 48.162
Men's 55-59 time trial
There was a sensational comeback for Dave Le Grys when he won the 55-59 Time Trial with a sensational 35.121, only hundredths off the world best for the distance set by the rider who was second, David Willmott.
‘Superman’ was how David Rowe described him after having seen the challenges Le Grys has gone through since his big crash in Portugal last year which saw him in hospital in a very critical condition. Prior to the race, Le Grys wasn’t openly expecting to do all that well but his determination rose above any lack of form he might have had from no racing since the accident and it was proud man who stood on the top step of the podium with the gold medal. Steve Cronshaw of Britain won the bronze.
Result
1. David Le Grys (GBR) 35.121
2. David Willmott (AUS) 35.449
3. Steve Cronshaw (GBR) 35.653
7. Mark Zaschke (GBR) 37.276
8. David Smith (GBR) 37.460
12. Barrie Bailey (GBR) 38.947
14. Jim Robertson (GBR) 45.356
Men's 35-39 individual pursuit
Holland’s Axel Boland (3:29:670) was fastest in this pursuit against Scotland’s Arthur Doyle (3:32:240). The Scott went out quick early on and was almost a second up after a kilometre but Boland then turned on the gas, changed gears and reeled Doyle in before riding away with the title over the closing laps. The bronze was won by South African Boyd Roberts (3:30:426) who defeated Australian Andrew Gerber (3:33:078) who like Doyle, went out quick at the start only to pay for the effort as the laps flew by and then see his rival cross the line and take the Bronze medal.
Women’s 40-44 time trial
Nine riders started the event which was won by Dana Walton in a time of 38:695 who edged out her teammate from the USA, Kimberly Edwards who recorded a time of 38:801 for the two laps. Third was Britain’s Julie Cooper with 39:204.
Result
1. Dana Walton (USA) 38.695
2. Kimberly Edwards (USA) 38.801
3. Julie Cooper (GBR) 39.204
6. Alison Holmes (GBR) 41.001
7. Cheryl Owens (GBR) 42.763
Women’s 35-39 time trial
There was another gold medal for Britain in the Time Trials when Alison Chisholm destroyed her rivals with a time of 37.166, over a second quicker than Australian Sandra Bletchley (38:526) and the bronze medallist, also from Australia, Cheryl Hulskamp (39:167).
Result
1. Alison Chisholm (GBR) 37.166
2. Sandra Bletchley (AUS) 38.526
3. Cheryl Hulskamp (AUS) 39.167
5. Siobhan Mullen (GBR) 39.743
7. Julie Dominguez (GBR) 41.146
9. Caroline Harding (GBR) 43.072
11. Fiona Walker (GBR) 50.576
Women's 45+ sprint
There never any doubt in who was going to win this sprint competition with Britain’s Janet Birkmyre in sensational form and clearly faster than any of her rivals. In the semi-finals, both Birkmyre and Australian Lise Benjamin won through although there was a scare for Lise Benjamin when Deborah Capewell took their semi to a decider.
When Birkmyre and Benjamin came to the line for the final for Gold, there was always a chance that perhaps Birkmyre was not as dominant as it appeared but she quickly dispelled that and nothing the Aussie could do was going to prevent Birkmyre from winning that gold. The battle for the bronze was equally clear cut with Deborah Capewell untroubled by Makiko Hamada who finished fourth in the competition.
Result
1. Janet Birkmyre (GBR)
2. Lise Benjamin (AUS)
3. Deborah Capewell (GBR)
