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Sydney Track World Cup - CDM
Sydney, Australia, May 14 - 16, 2004
Tales from the track
News and gossip from Day 1 of the Sydney Track World Cup
By Karen Forman in Sydney
Concussed and sore after keirin crash, brave Ford is determined to sprint
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Barbados rider Barry Ford has one chance and one chance only to gain qualification for the world track championships in Melbourne in a fortnight - tomorrow morning's sprint at the UCI World Track Cup in Sydney.
And, he will need a top 10 finish to get there. Trouble is, Ford's team doctor has advised him against riding, following his spectacular and painful crash after the finish of the keirin on Friday morning.
The crash, which occurred after the finish when he ran into two crashed riders, snapped his fork and saw him land on his head. The impact left him with concussion, a sore shoulder, a sort wrist, stitches in his chin, a loose tooth and facial grazing.
He spent five hours in hospital but returned to the track for the evening session and resolved to start the sprint on Saturday morning.
"It wasn't a good day for me," he said. "I almost crashed before the finish when a Spanish rider lost a spoke… I think my shoe went into the front wheel, and he crashed and I almost crashed as well. I stayed on but finished last. Then after the finish two guys crashed and I did too."
He said he was feeling "a little banged up" afterwards and "am not supposed to ride anymore", but was determined to.
"This is my first time in Australia and I want to go to the world's in two weeks. I need a top 10 in the sprint tomorrow."
Ford, who rides professionally, came straight to Australia from the keirin series in Japan.
More Day 1 News from the Sydney Track World Cup
By Karen Forman in Sydney
- Concussed and sore after keirin crash, brave Ford is determined to sprint Barbados rider Barry Ford has one chance and one chance only to gain qualification for the world track championships in Melbourne in a fortnight - tomorrow morning's sprint at the UCI World Track Cup in Sydney.
- Danes honor royal wedding with a midnight holiday They may have been on the other side of the world with other things (like winning races) on their mind, but still the Danish cyclists contesting the UCI Track World Cup in Sydney tonight didn't escape their dose of Royal wedding fever.
- Women carry the hopes of Italy, says coach The women's rather than the men's team would carry the hopes of Italy at the upcoming world track championships in Melbourne according to men's coach Marco Maccario.
- Sidelined Brown concentrates on healing Knocked out of his goal event for the year - the Giro d'Italia - with an Achilles tendon injury, Australian Panaria rider Graeme Brown was making the best of his unexpected return to Australia for treatment by supporting his countrymen at the UCI Track World Cup in his home town of Sydney on Friday night.
- Aussie results a credit to Walsh's base The top results being racked up by Australian cyclists at events like the UCI Track World Cup fixture currently underway in Sydney, had a lot to do with not only current coaching and a $4 million annual government investment, but also with the firm base established by former head coach Charlie Walsh.
