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2007 UCI Track Cycling World Championships - CM
Spain, March 29-April 1, 2007
Men's scratch race
Kam Po Wong makes history
By Shane Stokes
There was a major surprise in the scratch race finals when Hong Kong rider Kam Po Wong pulled off an excellent victory in the 60 lap race. Choosing his moment perfectly, the 34 year old road race specialist took off and quickly opened a half-lap lead, then dug in deep to hold off Wim Stroetinga (Netherlands) and Rafal Ratajczyk (Poland) to the line.
The race was marred by a big crash with just under three laps to go, 2004 champion Greg Henderson (New Zealand) going down when clipped from behind. This sparked off a large – and nasty looking – pileup which put paid to the hopes of seven riders, namely Henderson, Henning Bommel (Germany), Kazuhiro Mori (Japan), Franco Marvulli (Switzerland), Andris José Hernandez (Venezuela), Angel Dario Colla (Argentina) and Jérôme Neuville (France).
However it was almost certain that Wong would have stayed clear, even if the crash had not happened. He had a considerable gap at that point, having made his move after a succession of attacks had been brought back. The bunch stalled just before he went, and he built a strong lead, thus adding to career victories in major Asian races, including a stage of the Tour de Langkawi. He is believed to be the first Hong Kong rider to win a title at the world championships, and also the first rider from any country to do the Asian Games/world title double.
Speaking afterwards, it appeared that he was also somewhat stunned by his win. "I came to the world championship for the points race but my coach said to me that I could also do the scratch race. I said okay, there will be no real pressure there and in the end, I raced very well."
He knew that he would have to pick his moment in the race. "I had a meeting with my coach before and he said to me that I will only have one opportunity to get a real gap. The timing will be very important, and that worked out well. In the last three laps I felt like I was running out of power, I was slowing down, but I looked across to the other side of the track and saw the riders there and thought that maybe I still had a chance. I said to myself that I would keep trying, and it worked out perfectly."
As regards the points race, he said he is taking nothing for granted. "I must first try to qualify because the world championships are very hard. If I qualify, I will see how the final goes."
Results
Qualifying heat 1
1 Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus)
2 Kazuhiro Mori (Japan)
3 Martin Blaha (Czech Republic)
4 Jonathan Bellis (Great Britain)
5 Danilo Napolitano (Italy)
6 Ioannis Tamouridis (Greece)
7 Henning Bommel (Germany)
8 Jérôme Neuville (France)
9 Andris José Hernandez (Venezuela)
10 Ivan Kovalev (Russia)
11 Mitchell Docker (Australia)
12 Ignatas Konovalovas (Lithuania)
13 Mahammad Alakbarov (Azerbaijan)
14 Michael Faerk Christensen (Denmark)
Qualifying heat 2
1 Kampo Wong (Hong-Kong)
2 Charles Bradley Huff (USA)
3 Vladimir Tuychiev (Uzbekistan)
4 Rafal Ratajczyk (Poland)
5 Greg Henderson (New Zealand)
6 Unai Elorriaga Zubiaur (Spain)
7 Wim Stroetinga (Netherlands)
8 Franco Marvulli (Switzerland)
9 Steve Schets (Belgium)
10 Roland Garber (Austria)
11 Angel Dario Colla (Argentina)
12 Volodymyry Rybin (Ukraine)
13 Juha Matti Alaluusua (Finland)
Final
1 Wong Kam Po (Hong Kong, China)
2 Wim Stroetinga (Netherlands)
3 Rafal Ratajczyk (Poland)
4 Martin Blaha (Czech Republic)
5 Ivan Kovalev (Russian Federation)
6 Unai Elorriaga Zubiaur (Spain)
7 Steve Schets (Belgium)
8 Ioannis Tamouridis (Greece)
9 Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus)
10 Roland Garber (Austria)
11 Danilo Napolitano (Italy)
12 Mitchell Docker (Australia)
13 Charles Bradley Huff (United States Of America)
14 Jonathan Bellis (Great Britain)
15 Vladimir Tuychiev (Uzbekistan)
DNF Angel Dario Colla (Argentina)
DNF Jérôme Neuville (France)
DNF Henning Bommel (Germany)
DNF Kazuhiro Mori (Japan)
DNF Greg Henderson (New Zealand)
DNF Franco Marvulli (Switzerland)
DNF Andris José Hernandez (Venezuela)
