Mission accomplished for Kiwi track cycling squad

Mission accomplished for the BikeNZ track cycling team with two further podiums and key qualifying points at the conclusion of the five-day international series in Adelaide last night.

Europe-based Shane Archbold returned to the track from his professional road team to claim second place in the men’s omnium, his second silver medal of the meet in the six-discipline Olympic event, while Hamilton’s Jaime Nielsen was third in the women’s omnium.

BikeNZ Head Coach Dayle Cheatley said the group had achieved the main goal of securing vital qualifying points in key events for upcoming UCI World Cups which in turn qualify riders and teams for the World Championships.

“Shane Archbold came out of road racing and had two good efforts in the omnium, while both Jaime and Lauren got points for the women,” Cheatley said.

“It’s been a long campaign in Europe and now here for the sprint boys but they got the job done brilliantly and we are well set-up there for the World Cup season.

“Most of this group will enjoy a short break now and then prepare for the racing season at home and the World Cup meets.”

The squad finished with three wins and nine podium placings, with Eddie Dawkins claiming the opening kieren and sprint titles and Olympic medallist Simon van Velthooven claiming a kieren victory.

Archbold, second overnight, was fourth in the individual pursuit in 4:35.949 with any chance of catching Australian Luke Davison ended with ninth in the 20km scratch race. The Timaru rider, who returns to his UCI Pro Continental team An Post Sean Kelly in Belgium, bounced back to finish third in the 1000m time trial in 1:05.771 to be second overall.

Young Southland rider Pieter Bulling, who is part of BikeNZ’s endurance track squad in Europe, finished sixth overall.

Nielsen, a member of the Olympic team pursuit, started with a win in the 3000m individual pursuit in 1:39.406, with her London teammate Lauren Ellis third. Nielsen was third and Ellis fifth in the scratch race with Ellis second in the 500m time trial in 37.643s and Nielsen sixth in 39.050.

Australian Isabella King won her second omnium for the meet with eight points ahead of Xiaojuan Diao (HGK) on 18, Nielson 20 and Ellis 22.

Invercargill sprinter Matt Archibald finished fourth in the sprints. He qualified second in 10.101 and breezed through his opening rounds over Zac Deller (AUS) and Josiah Ng (HGK) and the quarterfinal over Emerson Harwood (AUS).

He lost to Olympic medallist Shane Perkins 2-1 and was beaten by Australian Daniel Ellis in two rides for the bronze.

Earlier Ethan Mitchell bowed out in the repechage as did Dunedin’s Katie Schofield in the women’s sprints.