Two medals for BikeNZ cyclists at Beijing World Cup

New Zealand cyclists picked up two medals on the second day of the UCI World Cup in Beijing overnight.

BikeNZ has rested a number of riders to develop some new combinations before finalising the team for next month’s key world cup in London and the world championships in Melbourne.

The combination of Westley Gough, Cameron Karwowski, Peter Latham and Myron Simpson beat off the challenge from Great Britain for the bronze medal in the men’s 4000m team pursuit.

They clocked 4:03.758 to comfortably win the bronze medal, finishing three seconds clear of the British combination.

The New Zealand team sprint trio also won a bronze medal with the new combination of Matt Archibald, Eddie Dawkins and Simon van Velthooven.

They qualified third fastest in 44.748, 3/10ths behind top qualifier Russia. They were slightly slower in the bronze medal ride against Venezuela but van Velthooven, the big Manawatu sprinter, unleashed a powerful final lap of 14.432s to edge the kiwis into the bronze medal.

The women’s team pursuit trio of Kaytee Boyd, Rushlee Buchanan and Gemma Dudley were fourth in the 3000m team pursuit clocking 3.28.603 to be beaten for the bronze medal by hosts China.

World Cup debutants Katie Schofield and Natasha Hansen finished eighth in the women’s team sprint in 34.236s, just over a second behind winners China who produced a world class time of 32.958, just outside the world record.

Hansen followed by finishing fifth in the 500m time trial in 35.278s.

The individual sprint events are schedule for tomorrow’s final day of racing.

Results, day 2:

Men 4000m team pursuit, gold medal ride: Russia 3:57.699, 1; Australia 4:01.804, 2. Bronze medal: New Zealand (Westley Gough, Cam Karwowski, Peter Latham, Myron Simpson) 4:03.758, 3; Great Britain 4:06, 853, 4.

Men team sprint, gold medal ride: Russia 44.198, 1; China 44.430, 2. Bronze medal ride: New Zealand (Matt Archibald, Eddie Dawkins, Simon van Velthooven) 44.827, 3; Venezuela 44.914, 4.

Women 500m time trial: Natasha Hansen 35.278, 5.

Women team sprint: New Zealand (Katie Schofield, Natasha Hansen) 34.236, 8.

Women 3000m team pursuit, gold medal ride: Ukraine 1, Belarus 2 (overtaken); bronze medal: China 3:22.588, 3; New Zealand (Kaytee Boyd, Rushlee Buchanan, Gemma Dudley) 3:37.357, 4.

For further information contact:

IAN HEPENSTALL
Media Liaison, BikeNZ High Performance
Sports Media NZ Ltd