UCI Track Cycling World Cup Manchester – NZ Wrap Day 2

World champion Aaron Gate had to be content with fourth place in his first omnium competition since his rainbow jersey win at the UCI World Cup in Manchester.

Gate finished tied for third with Australian Luke Davison in the six-discipline omnium but gave way on countback of the timed events.

They proved his Achilles heel after an injury-interrupted build-up following his return from road racing duties for the Belgium-based Chain Reaction-An Post Pro Continental team.

Meanwhile sprinter Eddie Dawkins finished sixth in the final of the men’s keirin after some strong form in the earlier heats.

Gate, 22, returned home to Auckland five week following the Tour of Britain but picked up a knee injury which sidelined him for three weeks.

“I came to the camp well underdone especially in the timed events,” Gate said. “It’s disappointing when you wear the rainbow jersey and I probably put too much pressure on myself in that respect.

“Really considering the build-up I did well in the bunch races to stay in contention for a medal to the end. It is just the start of a long season with three months until the world championships and the Commonwealth Games are not until next July.

“I am getting on top of the injury now and looking forward to a couple more weeks of training ahead of the Oceania Championships in Invercargill.”

Gate was sixth in the 4000m individual pursuit in 4:28.188, sixth in the scratch race and 10th in the 1000m time trial in 1:05.256. He was more than six seconds outside his best in the pursuit and three seconds in the Kilo Time Trial.

Belgium’s Jasper de Buyst took out the win from Dutchman Tim Veldt and Davison, who will no doubt clash with Gate in Invercargill later this month.

“I was just focussing on the omnium for Manchester but I am looking forward to getting back involved with the team pursuit for the Oceania Championships. I know what I need to do and it is now just back to some hard work over the next couple of months.”

Dawkins showed all his power and speed to win the first round of the keirin and finished second in the second round to qualify for the final.

The 22 year old had a back draw for the stacked final and decided to make his move early to go around the field. He then found himself boxed and got swamped in the final lap sprint won by Kilo world champion Francois Pervis (FRA) from Olympic medallist Maximilian Levy (GER).

Earlier Olympic medallist Simon van Velthooven was forced to the repechage rounds where he was pipped for the win and did not advance, while 20 year old Pieter Bulling won his qualifying in the Points Race but found the pace too fierce in the 30km final and did not finish.

In action for the Kiwis in tomorrow’s final day is Shane Archbold in the scratch race with Sam Webster, Eddie Dawkins, Matt Archibald and Simon van Velthooven contesting the men’s sprint.

Results day 2:
4000m individual pursuit qualifying: Marco Coleda  (ITA) 4:20.753, 1; Alexander Serov (RUS) 4:22.289, 2; Sebastian Mora (ESP) 4:23.281, 3; Tom Bohli (SUI) 4:24.679, 4. Also: Dyland Kennett (NZL) 4:37.975, 15.
Keirin, Round 1: Heat 2: Eddie Dawkins (NZL) 1. Heat 3: Simon van Velthooven (NZL) 5. Repecharge: Van Velthooven 2.
Round 2, heat 1: Jason Kenny (GBR) 1, Hersong Canelon (VEN) 2, Tobias Wachter (GER) 3. Heat 2: Francois Pervis (FRA) 1, Dawkins 2, Maximilian Levy (GER) 3.
Final: Pervis 1, levy 2, Canelon 3. Also: Dawkins 6.
Points Race 30km: Martyn Irvine (IRE) 20, 1; Lase Norman Hansen (DEN) 17, 2; Elia Viviani (ITA) 13, 3.
Omnium, day 2:
4000m individual pursuit: Casper von Filsach (DEN) 4:20.702, 1; Luke Davison (AUS) 4:24.646, 2; Artyon Sakharov (KAZ) 4:25.354, 3. Also: Aaron Gate (NZL) 4:28.138, 6.
Scratch Race: Olivier Beer (SUI) 1, Tim Veldt (NED) 2, Jasper de Buyst (BEL) 3. Also: Gate 6.
1000m Time Trial: De Buyst 1:03.245, 1; Davison and Veldt both 1:03.450, equal 2. Also: Gate 1:05.246, 10.
Final points: De Buyst 18, 1; Veldt 20, 2; Davison and Gate 34, equal 3 (Davison claims third on countback).

Details: www.bikenz.org.nz or www.uci.ch

PICTURE CAPTION: Aaron Gate sporting the rainbow colours of world champion and Eddie Dawkins in action in the men’s keirin on the second day of the UCI Track Cycling World Cup in Manchester.