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Track World Cup Round 3 - CDM

Manchester Velodrome, UK, April 9-11, 2004

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Day 1 - April 9

Aussies dominate day one; McGee stakes his claim in the IP

By Gina Gershon in Manchester

Brad McGee (Aus), winner of the men's 4km individual pursuit
Photo ©: Nick Rosenthal

Australian riders dominated day one of the track World Cup in Manchester but not without some resistance from their British rivals. Brad McGee, Mark Renshaw, Shane Kelly Katherine Bates shone for Australia, while Craig MacLean and Victoria Pendleton carved up the sprint events on behalf of Great Britian.

McGee took time out from his preparations during a busy European road schedule to stake his claim for a place in the individual pursuit at the Athens Olympics, where he hopes to better his bronze medal from four years ago.

The FdJeux.com rider comfortably won the event in 4minutes 19.692seconds ahead of Spain's Sergi Escobar Roure, who posted a time of 4:26.690. British rider Paul Manning won the ride-off for bronze against Russian Alexander Serov. McGee will have just three weeks between the end of the Tour de France to the start of the Olympics.

"I won't be considering it a break," McGee said. "You get in such a rhythm on the Tour, you just can't stop, otherwise you lose every sensation."

McGee will also compete in Saturday's team pursuit, but friend David Millar, who was planning to make his track debut for Great Britain in the same event, will not be there. Millar's professional outfit, Cofidis, withdrew all their riders from competition until further notice while the team clarifies their position in a doping investigation. Several riders and the team physio have been placed under investigation by French authorities over alleged drug offences. Millar has not been placed under investigation himself.

Renshaw won a keenly fought men's 15km scratch race, which began with Spain's Miguel Alzamora Riera taking off from the gun and almost lapped the field. But a seven-man breakaway including Renshaw and eventual silver and bronze medallists - Frenchman Franck Perque and Rob Hayles of Great Britain - quickly assumed control. Having been in the original break, reigning world champion Franco Marvulli, of Switzerland, fell off the pace to finish 14th, one lap down.

Shane Kelly (Aus) takes the keirin
Photo ©: Nick Rosenthal

Kelly, who is hoping to ride the 1,000m time trial and keirin in Athens, did not contest the kilo but came up with a win in the keirin ahead of Malaysia's Josiah Ng and Frenchman Florian Rousseau.

MacLean was convincing in the kilo tonight, winning in a scorching time of 1:01.689 ahead of Dutchman Theo Bos (1:02.675) and Soren Lausberg of France (1:02.822). Great Britain hopes to qualify for two places in the event in Athens but MacLean is one of four riders vying for those two potential spots, along with defending Olympic champion Jason Queally, Chris Hoy and Jamie Staff.

But tonight was MacLean's turn to press his credentials for one of those places by posting a time in competition and he was thrilled with the result.

"I expected to go about a second slower than that so I'm really surprised, especially in April and I've not been in the best of form so I'm really happy with that," MacLean said. "The crowd got behind me and gave me a bit of a lift so it was good."

Victoria Pendleton: "legs were ready"
Photo ©: Nick Rosenthal

Pendleton looked unbeatable throughout the minor rounds before winning the contest for gold and silver in the sprint against Irina Yanovych of the Ukraine, who was beaten in straight heats. Germany's Susan Panzer won the bronze medal ride-off over American Jennie Reed, also in two heats.

Pendleton said: "My legs felt good. It's the first series of sprints I've been through where I've really felt confident that my legs are ready for the job in hand."

She added: "Before this competition I had a week or so taper and it's really worked for me, having a bit of rest time. I thought I was getting unfit but it seems to have worked."

Australia's Katherine Bates took the honours in the 20km points race, beating German Hanka Kupfernagel and Belem Guerrero Mendez of Mexico.

Photography

Images by Nick Rosenthal/www.fatnick.com

Results

Men's 15km Scratch Race
 
1 Mark Renshaw (Aus)
2 Franck Perque (Fra)
3 Robert Hayles (GBr)
 
Women's 20km Points Race
 
1 Katherine Bates (Aus)                   38 pts
2 Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger)                 31
3 Belem Guerrero Mendez (Mex)             29
 
Men's 4,000m Individual Pursuit
 
1 Bradley McGee (Aus)               4:19.696
2 Sergi Escobar Roure (Spa)         4:26.690
3 Paul Manning (GBr)                4:42.869 [lapped A Serov (Rus)]
 
Men's 1,000m Time Trial
 
1 Craig MacLean (GBr)               1:01.689
2 Theo Bos (Ned)                    1:02.675
3 Soren Lausberg (Ger)              1:02.822
 
Men's Keirin
 
1 Shane Kelly (Aus)
2 Josiah Ng (Mal)
3 Florian Rousseau (Fra)
 
Women's Sprint
 
Gold medal playoff
 
Victoria Pendleton (GBr) bt Irina Yanovych (Ukr) 2-0
 
Bronze medal playoff
 
Susan Panzer (Ger) bt Jennie Reed (USA) 2-0