UCI WORLD CUP CYCLING – MELBOURNE – DAY 3 QUALIFYING

It’s a repeat gold medal shootout for the New Zealand women’s team pursuit on the last night of finals at the UCI World Cup in Melbourne tonight.

The New Zealand trio of Alison Shanks, Lauren Ellis and newcomer Rushlee Buchanan were fastest in qualifying today and take on Great Britain for the gold medal ride, the team they lost to narrowly in the final of the world championship in March.

The kiwis were first of the major powers out on the slow track at Hisense Arena, with organisers running the air conditioning which had deadened the track throughout the meet.

New Zealand clocked 3:26.890, a shade slower than their New Zealand record at the Oceania Championships in Invercargill last week.

However Australia were nearly a second slower after a conservative start, the Netherlands faded badly and world champions Great Britain were second fastest, half a second slower than New Zealand.

“It was a solid rider but the good thing is there’s quite a bit of technical improvement that can be made and more left in the tank,” said BikeNZ national women’s coach, Dayle Cheatley.

“Adding Alison back into the squad from the Oceania’s really gives us some extra horsepower and experience. We are a much stronger unit with her in the mix.

“I’d like to think we can improve on that ride tonight. That will be the challenge.”

Cheatley also has a selection dilemma with Auckland’s Kaytee Boyd an option to add fresh legs and lungs for the final.

“Kaytee is a proven strong team pursuit rider. Selection is the toughest part of this job. We are developing some real depth in the programme now, especially with Jaime Neilsen, who was in that world championship team, back home.”

Invercargill teenager Tom Scully is back on the track as partner to Olympic medallist Marc Ryan in the final of the 40km madison, while Southland’s Eddie Dawkins will ride off for ninth to 16th place in the men’s sprints and either Boyd of Joanne Kiesanowski will ride in the 500m time trial.

NOTE: The Madison starts at 9.10pm (NZ time), women’s team pursuit at 10.30pm and sprints at 11.45pm.