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2006 UCI Track Cycling World Championships - CM
France, April 13-16, 2006
Men's points race
Schep schleps it fastest
By Mal Sawford in Bordeaux
Peter Schep set up his win very early in the 160 lap race. Typically, that would mean attacking and taking a lap, but in a race that refused to be split apart, Schep’s foundation was built on his wins in the second and third sprints. A well timed solo move saw him clear to earn maximum points, but without company he wisely eased back and allowed the field to catch him.
Greek rider Ioannis Tamouridis was the other rider in contention early, after winning the opening and fourth sprints, but he faded as the race continued, and was unable to pick up any points in the second half. Schep maintained good position in the bunch, and collected points in all bar five of the sixteen sprints, and was never really in any danger despite attacks from Vasili Kiryienka (Belarus), Kam Po Wong (Hong Kong), Joan Llaneras (Spain), Sean Finning (Australia), Kazuhiro Mori (Japan) and Mikhail Ignatiev (Russia) as the race continued.
With a six point buffer before the final sprint, Schep could not be beaten, but capped his dominant ride by joining a last gasp break by Mori, Kiryienka, and Sebastian Cancio (Argentina) and then beating them all to take out the final five points on offer. Rafal Ratajczyk (Poland) claimed silver after three late sprint wins, with fourth to the aggressive Kiryienka.
After a lengthy delay for Schep to answer a barrage of questions from a huge contingent of Dutch media, Cyclingnews had the chance to ask the winner to sum up his ride. “The qualifications were quite good, and after that I became a little bit nervous because I knew I had good legs, and I had to try a get a gold medal. Most of the riders in the end tried to attack, but I could react just in time, every time.”
Schep agreed it was unusual for the bunch to stay together for the entire race. “It’s not usual. It was a really tough race though, and after half race, I was really sure it would finish as a bunch and I had taken enough points in the beginning to control the race from there. Winning the last sprint was a great way to finish. Today, everything was good, and mentally I was very strong.”
Chris Newton (Britain) won the opening sprint of the first heat, comprising six sprints over sixty laps, with the next two sprints taken by Alexander Aeschbach (Switzerland) and Andreas Muller (Germany). An attack from Vasili Kiryienka and Ioannis Tamouridis saw them gain a lap just after the half way mark and the final two sprints went to Kazuhiro (Japan) and Mikhail Ignatiev (Russia) with solo attacks. Also qualifying were Martin Blaha (Czechoslovakia), Mathieu Ladagnous (France), with Brad Huff (USA) the final qualifier ahead of Martin Gilbert (Canada).
The second heat saw young Australian sensation Sean Finning take the first sprint with a solo attack, but then swing up and wait for the chasing bunch. Holland's Peter Schep took the second sprint, after an attack had split the bunch. Former world champion Juan Llaneras started the move, joined also by Rafal Ratajczyk (Poland), Sebastian Cancio (Argentina) and Finning. The five leaders held the bunch at bay until the final few laps, and racked up enough points to all qualify, with the final sprint taken by Angelo Ciccone (Italy) ahead of Kam Po Wong (Hong Kong), Iljo Keisse (Belgium), and Volodymir Rybin (Ukraine). The final qualifier was New Zealand's Timothy Gudsell; the only rider in the heat to not win any points, but also not lose a lap to the bunch.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by AFP Photo
- (from L) The Netherlands' Peter Schep, Poland's Rafal Ratajczyk and Australia's Sean Finning compete in the 15 km men's points race qualifier.
- France's Mathieu Ladagnous (R) and USA's Charles Bradley Huff compete in the 15 km men's points race qualifier.
- Ukraine's Volodymyr Rybin competes in the men's points race qualifier.
- A rider from Japan rolls up the banking in the men's points race qualifier.
- Riders a blur during the 15 km men's points race qualifier.
Images by Mitch Friedman/www.mitchophoto.com
- Marin Gilbert (CAN) leads out USA rider Brad Huff and France’s Mathieu Ladagnous
- Bill Ron, one of the best track mechanics in the world
Images by Mike Gladu/www.velodrome.com
- Chris Newton (GBR) warming up for the points race heats
- Chris Newton on the rail before points race heat #1
- Chris Newton beside Ladagnous (FRA) in his points race heat
- Chris Newton in points race heat #1
- Chris Newton on Alexander Aeschbach (SUI) before winning the first sprint
- Chris Newton in points race heat #1
Results
Qualification Heat 1 1 Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus) 25 pts 2 Ioannis Tamouridis (Greece) 23 3 Mikhail Ignatiev (Russia) 8 4 Chris Newton (Great Britain) 8 5 Kazuhiro Mori (Japan) 7 6 Martin Blaha (Czech Republic) 6 7 Alexander Aeschbach (Switzerland) 6 8 Mathieu Ladagnous (France) 6 9 Andreas Muller (Germany) 6 10 Charles Bradley Huff (USA) 5 Did not qualify 11 Martin Gilbert (Canada) 4 12 Carlos Manuel Hernandez (Mexico) 3 13 Andrew Bradley (Austria) Heat 2 1 Juan Llaneras Rossello (Spain) 14 pts 2 Peter Schep (Netherlands) 11 3 Sean Finning (Australia) 10 4 Rafal Ratajczyk (Poland) 8 5 Sebastian Cancio (Argentina) 8 6 Angelo Ciccone (Italy) 6 7 Iljo Kiesse (Belgium) 5 8 Kam Po Wong (Hong Kong) 3 9 Volodymyr Rybin (Ukraine) 1 10 Timothy Gudsell (New Zealand) Did not qualify 11 Daniel Kreutzfeld (Denmark) -20 12 Jozef Zabka (Slovakia) -20 13 Andras Berkesi (Hungary) -40 Final 1 Peter Schep (Netherlands) 31 pts 2 Rafal Ratajczyk (Poland) 18 3 Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus) 15 4 Chris Newton (Great Britain) 13 5 Alexander Aeschbach (Switzerland) 13 6 Ioannis Tamouridis (Greece) 13 7 Kazuhiro Mori (Japan) 12 8 Ilzo Keisse (Belgium) 11 9 Mikhail Ignatiev (Russia) 9 10 Andreas Muller (Germany) 8 11 Joan Llaneras Rosello (Spain) 7 12 Sebastian Cancio (Argentina) 6 13 Angelo Ciccone (Italy) 5 14 Mathieu Ladagnous (France) 5 15 Martin Blaha (Czech Republic) 3 16 Timothy Gudsell (New Zealand) 3 17 Kam Po Wong (Hong-Kong) 2 18 Volodymyr Rybin (Ukraine) 1 19 Sean Finning (Australia) 1 20 Charles Bradley Huff (USA) -20
