World Junior Track Cycling Championships - CDM

Australia, August 21-25 2002

Event program and results    Men's Points    Women's Points

Women's 20km points race - August 24, 2002

Vierling takes points gold amid new rules controversy

by Karen Forman in Melbourne

Miranda Vierling
Photo: © Tom Balks

Netherlands rider Miranda Vierling became the 2002 junior world women's points race champion in a hard-fought and controversial battle on Melbourne's Vodafone Arena tonight. Vierling collected 27 points over the 20km journey to earn the gold medal ahead of Korean Gu Sung Eun on 19 and Chinese rider Fu Shimei on 15.

Without a doubt, Vierling's win came courtesy of the new UCI points race rules, which allowed her to sit on the back of the pack after taking a lap and collecting points until the commissaire finally declared she had lapped the field and ordered her to the front.

The pace was fast from the starter's gun and provided spectators with some exciting racing. Vierline, Shimei, Mexican Monica Huerta and Australian Belinda Goss were the major players, taking the points in the early sprints. Then Vierling attacked the field of nine with 42 to go and had almost caught the pack with 36 to go. However, she remained just behind the group. German rider Luise Keller attacked with 27 to go, joined Vierling at 22 to go and the pair remained behind the field, collecting sprint points until the commissaires declared the lap with 12 laps to go.

Only then were the two riders ordered to go around the pack. Under the new UCI rules, riders who lap the field automatically earn 10 points. However, by remaining at the back, Vierling, already with one point from the second sprint, was able to pick up 15 points in sprints at 40 to go, 30 to go and 20 to go, before winning 10 more for the lap.

The decision to delay the declaration of the lap created the controversy, with discussions between UCI technical delegate Mark Fulcher and various personalities unable to agree on the interpretation of the rules.

Leading Australian official and CycleSport Victoria president Joe Ciavola was particularly scathing of the situation, telling Cyclingnews that the "UCI should consider the rules of the race. The name of the game is sport and under the present rules it certainly is not," he said.

"There was too big a delay in declaring the lap. They should have declared the lap immediately. Under the old rules they would have had to have bridged the gap (before being declared one lap up)."

Vierling was leading with 26 points with Korean Eun Sing Gu sharing 14 points with Keller and Chinese Fu Shimei with two laps to go.

Although Vierling could not be caught, competition for the minor placings was strong as the field hit the finishing straight. Italian rider Eleonara Soldo made a bold move around the outside at the bell. The Korean made her move around the outside and gained three bike lengths with the Russian and Italian chasing hard. In the end, Gu won the final sprint with the Russian second and Vierling third.

Photography

Photos by Tom Balks

• The riders in action during the women's points race
• The riders in action during the women's points race
• Sung Eun Gu (Korea) in the women's points race
• Miranda Vierling leads the pack in the women's points race
• Miranda Vierling (Ned) on her quest for a lap in the women's points race
• Dutchwoman Miranda Vierling was the winner of the women's points race

Results

Final standings

1 Miranda Vierling (Netherlands)                      27 pts
2 Sung Eun Gu (Korea)                                 19
3 Fu Shimei (China)                                   15
4 Luise Keller (Germany)                              14
5 Eleonara Soldo (Italy)                              13
6 Belinda Goss (Australia)                            11
7 Anna Webb (USA)                                      5
8 Ekaterina Merzlikina (Russia)                        3
9 Monica Huerta (Mexico)                               1

Sprints breakdown

*Note: Miranda Vierling and Luise Keller gained a lap
with 16 laps to go.

Sprint 1

1 Belinda Goss (Australia)                             5 pts
2 Anna Webb (USA)                                      3
3 Fu Shimei (China)                                    2
4 Monica Huerta (Mexico)                               1
5 Miranda Vierling (Netherlands)                       0

Sprint 2

1 Eleonara Soldo (Italy)                               5 pts
2 Fu Shimei (China)                                    3
3 Sung Eun Gu (Korea)                                  2
4 Miranda Vierling (Netherlands)                       1
5 Belinda Goss (Australia)                             0

Sprint 3

1 Fu Shimei (China)                                    5 pts
2 Sung Eun Gu (Korea)                                  3
3 Belinda Goss (Australia)                             2
4 Luise Keller (Germany)                               1
5 Monica Huerta (Mexico)                               0

Sprint 4

1 Miranda Vierling (Netherlands)                       5 pts
2 Sung Eun Gu (Korea)                                  3
3 Fu Shimei (China)                                    2
4 Eleonara Soldo (Italy)                               1
5 Monica Huerta (Mexico)                               0

Sprint 5

1 Miranda Vierling (Netherlands)                       5 pts
2 Belinda Goss (Australia)                             3
3 Eleonara Soldo (Italy)                               2
4 Sung Eun Gu (Korea)                                  1
5 Monica Huerta (Mexico)                               0

Sprint 6

1 Miranda Vierling (Netherlands)                       5 pts
2 Luise Keller (Germany)                               3
3 Anna Webb (USA)                                      2
4 Fu Shimei (China)                                    1
5 Eleonara Soldo (Italy)                               0

Sprint 7

1 Sung Eun Gu (Korea)                                  5 pts
2 Eleonara Soldo (Italy)                               3
3 Fu Shimei (China)                                    2
4 Belinda Goss (Australia)                             1
5 Monica Huerta (Mexico)                               0

Sprint 8

1 Sung Eun Gu (Korea)                                  5 pts
2 Ekaterina Merzlikina (Russia)                        3
3 Eleonara Soldo (Italy)                               2
4 Miranda Vierling (Netherlands)                       1
5 Fu Shimei (China)                                    0

Men's 25km points race - August 24, 2002

Russian's points gold makes up for IP disappointment

by Karen Forman in Melbourne

Mikhail Ignatiev
Photo: © Tom Balks

The women seemed to think of it - then the men caught on. But they didn't get away with it for long.

After seeing Netherlands rider Miranda Vierling collect an extra 15 sprint points in the women's points race before judges declared she had lapped the field - but only after she had sat on the back of the field for 14 laps and accumulated 15 points, and then collected another 10 points for lapping the field as allowed under the new UCI points race rules after commissaires finally ruled she had taken a lap - four riders in the men's 25km pointscore tried to do the same.

Eventual winner, Russian Mikhail Ignatiev , Ukrainian Vitaliy Kondrut, Gideon De Jong of the Netherlands and Germany Sebastian Frey broke away and were almost onto the back of the bunch with 45 to go.

They came to within three metres of the bunch, then, as Vierling had done the previous event, dropped back, hoping to collect some easy sprint points. However, the commissaires, after the controversy which followed their delay in declaring the lap in the women's race, declared the lap for the break in the men's event only two laps later.

Each rider earned 10 points, as allowed under the new UCI rules. Still, Ignatiev managed to achieve a commanding lead with top performances in each of the sprints.

Leading up to the final sprint, he was clear of his rivals with 30 points. Kondrut had 20, Frey 19 and De Jons 17. Although Ignatiev did not figure in the final sprint, he won the event with 30, Kondrut was second, De Jons took third with 20 and Frey fourth with 19.

It was a well deserved win for the Russian, whose worlds campaign began with the disappointment of one of his team mates losing his saddle in the team pursuit qualifying and having to drop out. Ignatiev and the remainder of the team still managed to record the third fastest time, however, then picked up to win the gold medal in the final.

However, it was the earlier disappointment for Ignatiev in the individual pursuit, in which he was eclipsed by Australian Mark Jamieson. But, he struck gold again in tonight's points race. The Russian coach said the win was like a consolation for Ignatiev after his second placing in the individual pursuit, which he had really wanted to win. "We are very happy," he said.

Photography

Photos by Tom Balks

• Ouch! Manuel Hermann (Liechtenstein) goes down in the men's points race
• Sebastian Frey (Germany) was one of four riders to gain a lap in the men's points race
• Russian Mkhail Ignatiev on his way to victory in the men's points race
• Mikhail Ignatiev (Russia) waves the flag after winning the men's points race

Results

Final classification

1 Mikhail Ignatiev (Russia)                           30 pts
2 Vitaliy Kondrut (Ukraine)                           20
3 Gideon De Jong (Netherlands)                        20
4 Sebastian Frey (Germany)                            19
5 Mathieu Ladagnous (France)                          16
6 Mitsunari Mitaki (Japan)                            10
7 Mohd Sayuti Mohd Zahit (Malaysia)                    7
8 Sun Jae Jang (Korea)                                 5
9 Petr Lechner (Czech Republic)                        5
10 Troy Klink (New Zealand)                            5
11 Gregory Devaud (Switzerland)                        5
12 Gianni Meersman (Belgium)                           4
13 Nicholas Sanderson (Australia)                      3
14 Thomas White (Great Britain)                        1
15 Ryan Luttrell (USA)                                 0
16 Chi-Seng Huang (Taiwan)                             0
17 Richard Ochoa (Venezuela )                          0
18 Marc Hester (Denmark)                               0
19 Manuel Hermann (Liechtenstein)                      0

Sprints breakdown

*Note: Sebastian Frey (Germany), Gideon De Jong (Netherlands)
Mikhail Ignatiev (Russia), and Vitaliy Kondrut (Ukraine) gained
a lap at 40 to go

Sprint 1

1 Troy Klink (New Zealand)                             5 pts
2 Mikhail Ignatiev (Russia)                            3
3 Mohd Sayuti Mohd Zahit (Malaysia)                    2
4 Gideon De Jong (Netherlands)                         1
5 Sebastian Frey (Germany)                             0

Sprint 2

1 Mitsunari Mitaki (Japan)                             5 pts
2 Gregory Devaud (Switzerland)                         3
3 Gianni Meersman (Belgium)                            2
4 Thomas White (Great Britain)                         1
5 Sebastian Frey (Germany)                             0

Sprint 3

1 Sun Jae Jang (Korea)                                 5 pts
2 Vitaliy Kondrut (Ukraine)                            3
3 Mathieu Ladagnous (France)                           2
4 Gideon De Jong (Netherlands)                         1
5 Marc Hester (Denmark)                                0

Sprint 4

1 Mikhail Ignatiev (Russia)                            5 pts
2 Sebastian Frey (Germany)                             3
3 Vitaliy Kondrut (Ukraine)                            2
4 Gideon De Jong (Netherlands)                         1
5 Richard Ochoa (Venezuela )                           0

Sprint 5

1 Mikhail Ignatiev (Russia)                            5 pts
2 Sebastian Frey (Germany)                             3
3 Gideon De Jong (Netherlands)                         2
4 Vitaliy Kondrut (Ukraine)                            1
5 Nicholas Sanderson (Australia)                       0

Sprint 6

1 Mikhail Ignatiev (Russia)                            5 pts
2 Sebastian Frey (Germany)                             3
3 Gideon De Jong (Netherlands)                         2
4 Vitaliy Kondrut (Ukraine)                            1
5 Petr Lechner (Czech Republic)                        0

Sprint 7

1 Mathieu Ladagnous (France)                           5 pts
2 Mohd Sayuti Mohd Zahit (Malaysia)                    3
3 Nicholas Sanderson (Australia)                       2
4 Gianni Meersman (Belgium)                            1
5 Troy Klink (New Zealand)                             0

Sprint 8

1 Petr Lechner (Czech Republic)                        5 pts
2 Mathieu Ladagnous (France)                           3
3 Mikhail Ignatiev (Russia)                            2
4 Nicholas Sanderson (Australia)                       1
5 Gideon De Jong (Netherlands)                         0

Sprint 9

1 Mitsunari Mitaki (Japan)                             5 pts
2 Vitaliy Kondrut (Ukraine)                            3
3 Mohd Sayuti Mohd Zahit (Malaysia)                    2
4 Mathieu Ladagnous (France)                           1
5 Gregory Devaud (Switzerland)                         0

Sprint 10

1 Mathieu Ladagnous (France)                           5 pts
2 Gideon De Jong (Netherlands)                         3
3 Gregory Devaud (Switzerland)                         2
4 Gianni Meersman (Belgium)                            1
5 Sun Jae Jang (Korea)                                 0