World Junior Track Cycling Championships - CDM

Australia, August 21-25 2002

Men's Team Sprint - French blitz Germans for gold

By Karen Forman in Melbourne

Nine gold medals have been handed out during the first three days of the 2002 World Junior Track Championships in Melbourne, Australia, this week, but none of the wins have caused quite the exhuberance as that collected by the French in tonight's men's team sprint.

The team's tallest rider, Gregory Bauge from Paris, was so delighted with the gold he collected with teammates, European champion Francois Pervis and Mickael Murat, that he couldn't help but leap around the in-field with sheer excitement - for about half an hour afterwards.

Seconds after the win was declared, Bauge, popular for his happy nature and huge toothy smile, was on his bike riding around the track, waving and smiling at the crowd.

Then, with the next event ready to start, he took to his bike on the in-field, riding in circles, still with arms in the air and the world's biggest smile on his face.

Off the bike, he was hugging his teammates and doing Scottish-style jigs on the floor, before getting back onto his machine for what might have been a warm-down had he not been so excited.

"This is a very special moment. It is very good to win so far away from home. This is something we have worked for. We are very excited".

He wasn't exaggerating. Pervis, from Lavalle, a rich cycling area in the north of France, and Murat, from St Etiemme, were happy as well. They just didn't quite show it in the same way.

Raced off against the German team comprising Michael Spiess, Michael Seidenbecher and Dominik Krones, the team sprint was a very fast final. After being ahead for the majority of the race, Pervis did the final lap for his team, crossing the line in 46.750 (47.316 for the Germans.)

Earlier, a hopeful Australian team comprising Mark French, Wade Cosgrove, and Alex Sommer, had ridden off for the bronze medal against a Czech Republic team comprising FIllip Ditzel, Jaroslav Flendr and Daniel Lebl.

The Czech side obtained the upper hand early, however, and finished the winner in 48.077 (Australia in 48.295).

Qualifying
 
1 Australia                                    47.617 (56.702km/h)
  (Alex Sommer/Mark French/
  Wade Cosgrove)
2 France                                       47.760 (56.533km/h)
  (Francois Pervis/Mickael Murat/
  Gregory Bauge)  
3 Germany                                      48.147 (56.078km/h)
  (Michael Spiess /Michael Seidenbecher/
  Dominik Krones)
4 Czech Republic                               48.394 (55.792km/h)
  (Fillip Ditzel/Jaroslav Flendr/
  Daniel Lebl)
5 Japan                                        48.838 (55.285km/h)
  (Tsubasa Kitatsuru/Tsuyosi Hashimoto/
  Masanao Usui)
6 Russia                                       49.466 (54.583km/h)
  (Arif Abassov/Alexey Mamachev/
  Anton Roudoy)
7 Colombia                                     49.556 (54.484km/h)
  (Rodrigo Barros/Hernan Sanchez/
  Monica Huerta)
8 Netherlands                                  50.359 (53.615km/h)
  (Wim Stroetinga/Tim Veldt/
  Edwin Van Kerkhof)

Finals

1 France                                       46.750 (57.754 km/h)
  (Francois Pervis/Mickael Murat/
  Gregory Bauge)
2 Germany                                      47.316
  (Michael Spiess /Michael Seidenbecher/
  Dominik Krones)
3 Czech Republic                               48.077 (56.160 km/h)
  (Fillip Ditzel/Jaroslav Flendr/
  Daniel Lebl)
4 Australia                                    48.295
  (Alex Sommer/Mark French/
  Wade Cosgrove)

Final classification

1 France
2 Germany
3 Czech Republic
4 Australia
5 Japan
6 Russia
7 Colombia
8 Netherlands