Vos to miss track world championships after losing ride-off

Olympic points race champion Marianne Vos will not represent the Netherlands at the UCI Track World Championships on home soil next month after losing a ride-off with Kirsten Wild to compete in the women's omnium.

The Dutch national coach Robert Slippens faced a difficult decision between the two talented riders. Vos, a proven winner with world titles on the track, road and in cyclo-cross, failed to make a mark in her only track outing this year at the Melbourne World Cup, winning the elimination race but only able to take sixth overall.

Wild, in contrast, has no world titles to her name, but on top of a successful 2010 road season, she has made the track a focus, coming second overall in the omnium at the Beijing Track World Cup.

The two faced off against each other in three timed events today at the Alkmaar velodrome, a 250m flying lap, a 500m time trial and a 3km pursuit.

Vos prevailed in the 500, but Wild topped the other two events by a significant margin to earn her spot in next week's Manchester World Cup and the world championships, which take place March 23-28 in Apeldoorn.

Wild will join Ellen van Dijk (individual pursuit), Jenning Huizenga (team pursuit, possibly individual pursuit), Tim Veldt (omnium) and Peter Schep (points race, Madison) in the endurance team.

For the sprint events, the Netherlands will be represented by Willy Kanis, Yvonne Hijgenaar, Roy van den Berg and Teun Mulder. Sprint coach Rene Wolff is yet to decide between Yondi Schmidt and Hugo Haak.