British National Track Championships - CN

Manchester, Great Britain, October 3-7, 2006

2005 results Schedule

British Nationals - Wrap-up from Manchester

By Gerry McManus

Victoria Pendleton (ScienceInSport.com) left the British national track championships in Manchester with a haul of gold medals on Saturday 7th October. The fast finishing sprinter had already shown her cards when she broke the 500m TT championship record with 34.621 seconds on the opening day, taking the first of her medals. The time was a fraction behind the British record of 34.614 that she set at the world championships in Bordeaux earlier in the year. Pendleton's blistering pace took over two seconds out of promising Anna Blyth (VC St Raphael) who took the silver ahead of Janet Birkmyre (Planet X- CyclingPlus).

In the evening 15km scratch event Pendleton showed he class by timing her late attack to perfection. In the closing stages Lizzie Armistead (Releigh ERV) and Laura Bissell (GS Strada) had broken clear with a seeming unassailable lead. Pendleton jumped clear with two laps to go and passed the leading duo to take a well timed victory. Pendleton's 11.54 second qualifying time in the 200m sprint competition saw her stay clear of her closest rival Anna Blyth with 12.025 during the heats. Blyth was no match for Pendleton in the final who won in two straight runs.

On the last day Pendleton took her final title with victory in the Keirin, beating Blyth again who continues to show improvement and that she can handle the pressure on the big occasion.

Wendy Hovenhagel (ScienceInSport) took the gold in the women's 3,000m individual pursuit when she outclassed team mate Rebecca Romero 3.376.69 to 3.43.395 - with plenty of gas left in the tank. Kate Cullen dominated the women's points event with a 38 point total and twenty points clear of second place Alexandra Greenfield (Cardiff Ajax). Cullen dominated the sprints, winning 6 out of the 12 and figuring in most of the others.

The men's medals were more widely spread with Chris Hoy opening up his account in the kilo TT with 1.02.725 to Rob Hayles in second with 1.05.268. It seemed likely that Hoy would double up with the 200m sprint gold when he qualified fastest with 10.223. Young Jason Kenny (ScienceInSport.com) had surprised many when he beat Craig MacLean in qualifying but MacLean reversed the result when they met in the quarter finals. MacLean went on to beat Hoy in the semis and to set up the final with another youngster Ross Edgar (ScienceInSport.com). Experience overcame youth as MacLean proved the strongest winning 2-0 but Edgar would have his day later.

Chris Newton (Recycling.co.uk) outsprinted Kieran Page (AVC Aix-En-Provence) and Ian Stannard (Recycling.co.uk) after the trio had dominated the 20km scratch race. Newton then double up his medal tally when he led home the Composite A team of Ed Clancy, Steve Cummings and Paul Manning in the 4km team pursuit event in 4.07.880. Their victory sparked many debates regarding the moral eligibility of composite team entries in a national competition. Third place Glendene RT were the top finishing team that have raced under the same banner all year.

David Millar (Saunier Duval-Prodir) showed that he still has a fast turn of speed late in the season when he took the gold in the men's 4,000m individual pursuit. Millar took 1.5 seconds off his qualifying time as he beat Paul Manning in the gold/silver ride off. His mid-season racing start might just hold him in good stead for the only remaining classic of the year, in the forthcoming Giro di Lombardia. Millar still flirts with the track from time to time, and this result should certainly see his name become higher up on the British team selection list. Newton took bronze underlining his winter form.

Ross Sander (Recycling.co.uk) won the points race from team mate Evan Oliphant and Peter Kennaugh (Glendene RT). The trio fought it out between themselves after they had lapped the field. Junior rider Kennaugh has performed well in races against his elder contemporaries and will now be well marked in future events.

In the final short events the composite trio of Hoy, Jason Queally and MacLean exploded round three laps of the Manchester Velodrome to win the team sprint in 44.532. Experience was again the winner over youth and enthusiasm but the established short distance men were in for a shock in the men's Keirin. Hoy and MacLean had both won their semi finals but Ross Edgar took the honours in the final fighting off the challenge from Matthew Crampton (ScienceInSport.com) to become the new British Men's Kerin champion.

Schedule

Day 1 - October 3: Men 1000m TT; Women 500m TT
Day 2 - October 4: Men 4000m IP; Women scratch
Day 3 - October 5: Men Sprint, Scratch; Women Points; CWAD IP
Day 4 - October 6: Men Points, Team Sprint; Women Sprint; CWAD 200m
Day 5 - October 7: Men Keirin, TP; Women Keirin, IP; CWAD TT