Sergent, Phinney to battle for gold in pursuit

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Many saw this year’s individual pursuit to be a likely battle between Taylor Phinney and Jack Bobridge, the first dominating last year’s championships and the second recording a blistering 4.14.27 in February, but Jesse Sergent tore that script up when he was quickest in today’s qualification round.

Sergent (New Zealand) set the fastest time of 4.15.988, beating his Trek-Livestrong team-mate Phinney (USA) by 0.114 in the last of the heats. The American was almost a second off his personal best and US record set at last years worlds.

Bobridge (Australia) was quickest of all the riders at 2000 and 3000 metres, but his pace tailed off slightly at the finish. He was the provisional leader but dropped to third after Sergent and Phinney scrapped it out.

His 4.17.169 beat the 4.18.356 of Alexander Serov (Russia), setting them up for a fight-off for bronze this evening.

Fifth and sixth went to Dennis Rohan (Australia) and Vitaliy Schedov (Ukraine).

Past champions through to next round of men’s keirin

Three former winners of the world championship keirin successfully progressed to this evening’s second round of the contest, with defending champion Maximillian Levy, 2007/2008 victor Chris Hoy and the 2005 victor Teun Mulder all qualifying this afternoon.

Britain’s Matt Crampton and Levy (Germany) were the two quickest in the first heat, while Francois Pervis (France) and the Kiki Sam Webster progressed in the second. Malaysian rider Azizulhasni Awang led Mulder (Netherlands) over the line in heat three.

However Awang’s compatriot Josiah Ng Onn Lam was involved in controversy in the final of the four heats, cutting across Hoy at the start and sending the Briton crashing to the ground. Following a short delay for the commissaires to check video footage, he was disqualified.

Hoy showed there was no lingering effects from his spill when he raced to victory in the restarted heat four. He was a long way back with two laps to go but thundered to the front in the finishing straight, showing that he means business.

Those who did not qualify will have a second chance this evening when the repechages are held.

Australia tops women's team pursuit

The Australian team put itself into a prime position to take home its third gold medal when the women's pursuit team rocketed to the fastest qualifying time over the team from Great Britain.

Despite being a young squad, with 19-year old Ashlee Ankudinoff and 20-year-olds Sarah Kent and former junior world champion Josephine Tomic, the Australians managed to top the Brits by 3 tenths of a second.

The New Zealand team was shut out of the gold medal final by 36 thousands of a second, denying former pursuit champion Alison Shanks a chance to don another rainbow jersey.

The Kiwis will face the team from the USA in the bronze medal final tonight.

Men's Individual Pursuit - Qualifying

Men's Keirin - Round 1

 Men's Keirin - Round 1 Repechages