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Report: 2010 UCI Track World Championships - Day 5

27th March 2010, Copenhagen, Denmark
Report: Phil Ingham | Images: Larry Hickmott
Full Day 5 Results | Worlds Homepage

AFTERNOON SESSION

Men's Omnium

In the Men's Omnium, GB's Ed Clancy roared to an impressive win in the opening 200m Time Trial, recording a time of 10.448 seconds, which would have pleased some pure sprinters. He dipped a bit in the Points race, dropping two laps on the winner Tim Mertens and finishing ninth. But he was back on song in the 3000m Individual Pursuit, finishing fourth behind the inevitable winner, Taylor Phinney.

Ed Clancy really lifted the pace in the penultimate event of the Omnium, the Points Race, picking up points and gaining a lap mid-race, so that he led with 25 laps to go. Although he fell back in the final few laps, as other riders grabbed laps and points, he still came out of the event with a fine fifth place. Not known as a Points Race rider, Clancy performed well above expectations and went into the final Kilo leading by a couple of points from Robert Bartko of Germany.

Clancy then produced another astonishing ride, winning the Kilo with a cracking time of 1m 02.243 seconds, a time which would have won the world title in the not too distant past. Even Taylor Phinney had to give best to the GB rider and with no-one else going under 63 seconds, the World Title was suddenly Clancy's and by a big margin of 8 points. Howard Leigh of Australia was second, with Phinney third.

Speaking afterwards, Ed Clancy was laid back and seemingly unimpressed after securing his first individual World Championship medal, though one detected a dry refusal to be drawn too much on its significance for him as he referenced his preference of tea events: "It being an individual medal doesn't necessarily make it better for me. You know what I'm like, I'll live and die for the boys in the Team Pursuit, but it goes some way for me and the lads to make up for what happened in the Team Pursuit - that was our big goal, this was bit of an afterthought really. But yes, it's my first individual worlds medal of any colour, it's great - though I'd rather have stood on the top step with my mates, but I'll take it."

And on whether he might now consider riding the Omnium in London at the Olympics: "We'll have to see how the format pans out - the races will be longer in the Olympics and as you can see today I was hanging on in the bunch races and making up ground in the shorter events - with the addition of the devil it's looking more like Chris Newton, Mark Cavendish territory!" Day 5 Results

Women's Keirin

The women's Keirin final was a cracker. Victoria Pendleton started as a clear favourite, but she ran out of luck, getting boxed in with a couple of laps to go. She skillfully extricated herself, but was then forced to go the long way round as she and the rest chased down Simona Krupeckaite, who was leading it out. It was touch and go going up to the line, with Victoria straining every sinew, but Krupeckaite just held on to win by a half wheel from Pendleton, with Olga Panarina third. There was some interest p[ost-race in whether the winner had run outside the sprinters' line in the final bend, but the commisaires were happy to let the result stand.

Earlier, Victoria Pendleton booked her place in the final of the Women's Keirin with a confident win in the second round. She waited until two laps to go and then blasted over the top of the pack in the space of half a lap and then simply held off the rest all the way to the line, where she was able to visibly ease up. Guo of China, the world cup champion, was a surprise loser.

After the final, Victoria Pendleton was asked about Krupeckaite's line going round the final bend, where she appeared to move above the sprinters' line, but the silver medal winner seemed unfazed by the incident and happy to let the officials decide: "At the time I was focusing on the finish line and didn't see anything else. When they (the commissaries) make their decision that's final. I didn't have a lot left, I gave it everything. I'm pleased. I got everything out today. I feel I can have a well deserved rest now!"

And on the implications of the Keirin becoming an Olympic event for the first time in London: "The standard's going to get raised. In the past it's been a bonus event and the sprints been predominantly the most important result. I expect the standard to go up and up. Day 5 Results

Men's Sprint

Medal Finals: Gregory Bauge successfully defended his world Sprint title with a two heat demolition of Shane Perkins. Bauge is tactically sharp and, alongside Sireau and Hoy, he is one of the three fastest men in the world. His clash with Hoy the previous day was, with hindsight, the key race of the series. In the final, Perkins tried to lead out in both heats, clearly thinking it was his only chance, but both time Bauge cruised round him, grinning the second time, to claim back-to-back world titles.

Kevin Sireau sensibly used his amazing flat speed to keep Robert Fortemann at arm's length in their ride off for the bronze. The German finally ran out of ideas and probably gas as the Frenchman won both heats with ease.

Men's Sprint Semi Finals: The semi-finals of the Men's sprint both went to three rides, but both were actually convincingly won. Shane Perkins of Australia disposed of Robert Forstemann, who looked a lot less sharp, both physically and mentally, than he had the previous day.

Meanwhile, the two quickest men in the world - Gregory Bauge and Kevin Sireau - produced a slightly disappointing match. Sireau used his speed to clinch the first race. But Bauge was able to win the next two as Sireau managed to make a couple of tactical mistakes, leaving the door open with a lap to go each time. Against a man of Bauge's class he was never going to get away with it. Day 5 Results

Women's Points Race

Lizzie Armitstead began the women's Points Race well with a win in the first sprint. However, she missed a move which allowed, ultimately, five riders to gain a lap and from then onwards she was chasing shadows. She was also beginning to look tired too, which is understandable given her schedule at this world championships.

In the end it was the newly crowned Omnium champion, Canada's Tara Whitten who kept her points total ticking over nicely who took the gold by three points from Lauren Ellis of New Zealand. Tatsiana Sharkova was third. Armitstead eventually finished ninth. Day 5 Results

MORNING SESSION

Day 5 Morning Session slideshow

The final morning of the 2010 World Track Championships saw the Women's Keirin and Men's Omnium both getting underway.

British interest in the Keirin was centred on Jess Varnish and Victoria Pendleton. Victoria sailed through to the second round with a clean win her heat, but Jess Varnish went out after being forced into the repechage and then narrowly missing out.

In the Men's Omnium, GB's Ed Clancy roared to an impressive win in the opening 200m Time Trial, recording a time of 10.448 seconds, which would have pleased some pure sprinters. He dipped a bit in the Points race, dropping two laps on the winner Tim Mertens and finishing ninth. But he was back on song in the 3000m Individual Pursuit, finishing fourth behind the inevitable winner, Taylor Phinney.

Clancy goes into the afternoon's final two events in a healthy 3rd overall.