Alexandra’s Sophie Williamson added to New Zealand’s medal haul on the second night of finals at the UCI Junior World Track Cycling Championships in Moscow today.
Williamson showed plenty of nous to finish third in the 20km points race on the big Moscow track, picking up points in five of the 10 sprints.
Italy’s Maria Giulia Confalonieri proved the class of the race, eventually lapping the field to claim the victory with the New Zealand rider positioning herself cleverly to ensure she picked up points on a regular basis.
Williamson returns to the track tomorrow to compete in the omnium.
Auckland sprinter Stephanie McKenzie relished the purpose-built sprinter’s track in Moscow to move into tomorrow’s semifinals in the women’s sprints.
She topped qualifiers in the individual sprint in 11.104, with fellow Auckland teammate Paige Patterson qualifying in 12th place in 11.627 from the 27 starters.
Patterson, who won a bronze medal with McKenzie in the team sprint yesterday, was eliminated by American Jennifer in the round of 16.
McKenzie had a first round bye before eliminating Valente in the round of eight before disposing of Italy’s Stella Tomassini in two straight rides in the quarterfinal. She moves into tomorrow’s semifinals along with two powerful Russians, Tamara Balabolina and Anastasiya Voynove and Great Britain’s Victoria Williamson.
The women’s team pursuit were edged out of a medal in their bronze ride against Italy.
The kiwi combination of Cassie Cameron (Wanganui), Georgia Williams (Auckland), Georgina Wilson (Auckland) qualified third fastest in 3:34.037, fractionally ahead of the Italians despite a sluggish opening kilometre of 1:14.393.
The New Zealand trio lifted their game in the bronze medal ride but could not match the Italians who found another gear to edge out the kiwis by half a second in 3:31.54.
Meanwhile Australia showed their class to beat the home Russian team in the final with a superb 3:27.654.
Waimate’s Dylan Kennett had his medal hopes dented when he was squeezed out early in a roughly-run elimination race to bring the opening day of the omnium to a conclusion.
Kennett had won the Flying Lap, recorded 10.776s over the final 200m on the massive 333m Moscow Velodrome. He finished eighth in the points race on nine points to be in second place overall going into the elimination race.
It proved a crash fest after some aggressive riding with Kennett squeezed by two riders to be eliminated early and significantly dent his strong medal chances. He returns to complete the omnium competition with the individual pursuit, scratch race and time trial tomorrow.
Earlier Christchurch rider Alex Frame finished 11th from 34 starters in the 1000m time trial in 1:05.560 won by Australia’s Jaron Gardiner in 1:03.872.
Results, day 2:
Women 20km points race: Maria Giulia Confalonieri (ITA) 43 points, 1; Ingrid Drexel (MEX) 23 points, 2; Sophie Williamson (NZL) 15 points, 3.
Men 1000m time trial: Jaron Gardiner (AUS) 1:03:872, 1; Ben Edelin (FRA) 1:04:374, 2; Matt Baranoski (USA) 1:04:660, 3. Also: Alex Frame (NZL), 1:05.560, 11.
Women Sprint, qualifying: Stephanie McKenzie (NZL) 11.627, 1; Paige Patterson (NZL) 11.627, 12.
First round: Patterson lost to Jennifer Valente (USA) two straight.
Quarterfinal: McKenzie bt Stella Tomassini (ITA) 2-0.
Women’s 3000m team pursuit:
Gold medal ride: Australia 3:27:654 bt Russia 3:29:032.
Bronze medal ride: Italy 3:31:547 bt New Zealand (Cassie Cameron, Georgia Williams, Georgina Wilson) 3:32:122.
Qualifying: Russia 3:30.635, 1; Australia 3:30.948, 2; New Zealand 3:34.037, 3; Italy 3:34.380.
Men Omnium, Flying Lap: Dylan Kennett (NZL) 10.776, 1; Pascal Ackerman (GER) 10.834, 2; Hongki Kim (KOZR) 10.968, 3.
Points: Roman Ivlev (RUS) 1, Caleb Ewan (AUA) 2. Kennett 8.
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