August 16/08 6:51 am - Beijing Olympics: Track Day 2 photos, report & full results

Posted by Editoress on 08/16/08
 

Beijing Olympics

Photos from Day 2 of racing at the Laoshan Velodrome

Men's Keirin
Men's Pursuit final
Men's Points Race
Women's Pursuit Round 1

Day 2 on the track saw three medal finals, with Great Britain continuing to dominate the standings by winning medals in every final, including two golds, a silver and two bronzes. Spain became the first nation other than Britain to win a gold medal on the track, when Joan Llaneras took the Points Race title. Bradley Wiggins opened his gold medal tally with a victory in the men's pursuit, while Chris Hoy added a second gold to his haul by winning the Keirin.

Men's 4000M Individual Pursuit

The eight riders who moved on from Friday's qualifying round were pared down to four finalists: Wiggins, countryman Steven Burke, Hayden Roulston (New Zealand) and Alexei Markov (Russia). Wiggins and Roulston continued as the only riders to post sub-4:20 rides, and would compete for the gold medal.

First up was the bronze medal ride, and Burke came from behind to overhaul Markov in the final kilometre and claim the podium spot. The gold medal final followed a similar format, with Roulston coming out fast, only to be steadily reeled in by Wiggins.

"It was another brilliant day for Great Britain, we are just on top everywhere. We're just pissing all over everyone, to be frank. It's no surprise, really, we expected to be in this position. In eight years we've become the dominant force right across the board."

Roulston has made great strides in the past year, but still feels that he has room to improve. "Great Britain is getting these results now because they've been building since before Athens. New Zealand has just started in the last year. I came to win gold and came away with silver, but I'm definitely happy with it. Wiggins is the true champion, he's pure class. But I'm on the right road, this is just the beginning."

Taylor Phinney, the youngest rider in the event, faced Roulston in the second round, and was eliminated, but took it in stride. "It's my first Olympics, I'll be back for more. My goal was to qualify and race for two days, which I managed, so I'm pleased. I gave everything I had on the first day, and today I was more tired. It took more out of me than I thought."

Men's Points Race

Canada's lone entry for the day, Zach Bell, had a superb ride in the Points Race, finishing seventh. Bell played a conservative game for the first half of the race, grabbing a couple of points early on then waiting until 70 laps to go to launch an attack which would see him lap the field in a solo effort. He tried the same tactic in the final nine laps, and was only caught with three laps to go.

"I wanted to put on a bit of a show at least," explained Bell. Was the race according to plan? "Yes and no. The plan was basically to be conservative for the first half, and not blow myself out too much. Richard [Wooles - coach] was saying to wait until the last third. I was trying to position myself for some of the sprints, but there were always guys up the road, so not much chance."

"Then came the lull that we expected. After the sprint, when the guys swung up the track, I was right behind them, and it was 'Ok, it's time to go'. After the ten to go I tried it again, because without doing it even if I won the last sprint there was only one guys reachable, and 6th versus 7th wasn't a big deal. So I needed more than 5 points. When you're at the Olympics, you try to go again; I was going to gamble to maybe get on the podium."

"It was great to be part of the mix, to have the engine to go around; it hasn't been there before. It was my goal to be in the top-8, and I was confident that only a mistake would knock me out of it."

Bell attributed a lot of his newfound power and confidence to Cycling BC coach Wooles. "Richard is the reason, for sure. The support system that he and Cycling BC has provided has made a huge difference. He's there to help plan everything, pay attention to the details, and to push me when i need it. There is no doubt about it, it is 100% attributable to his program and advice."

"I'm excited about the next four year cycle; a medal has got to be the goal for 2012. I'm in the race now."

Joan Llaneras was one of the favourites for this event, but he initially struggled, while Germany's Roger Kluge took a lap and the early lead.

The race was very complicated," explained Llaneras. "My initial plan was to try to earn some early points and build up an advantage, but the race was not very controlled, and many riders were attacking. Everyone was watching what I was doing, and when Kluge gained a lap, it was even more challenging. It was the riders who shouldered the responsibility for the race, who did well, like Kluge, [Chris] Newton and myself. In the second half of the race it became possible to ride more to a plan, and I was able to attack and take one lap, and then another."

Llaneras, Kluge and Great Britain's Newton were the only riders to take two laps on the field and, while Llaneras had the title wrapped up with one sprint remaining, Kluge had to beat Newton in the final sprint to clinch silver.

Women's 3000M Individual Pursuit

Britain is assured of a gold and silver in the final for this event on Sunday, after Rebecca Romero and Wendy Houvenaghel set the two fastest times in the second round. Alison Shanks (New Zealand) and Lesya Kalitovska (Ukraine) will ride for the bronze. American Sarah Hammer, a former world champion, fell to Shanks and won't have the chance to contend for a medal.

Men's Keirin

Hoy was unstoppable in the Keirin, on his way to a second gold medal in two days. In both of his first two rides he got to the front of the group and behind the pace bike, and then just upped the pace when the moto swung off until he had burned everyone off his wheel.

The final consisted of Hoy, his tem mate Ross Edgar, Arnaud Tournant (France), Shane Kelly (Australia), Carsten Bergemann (Germany) and Kiyofumi Nagai (Japan). Among the big names not making it through were the Dutch riders Theo Bos (crash) and Teun Mulder, plus Gregory Bauge (France) and defending Olympic champion Ryan Bayley (Australia).

In the final, Edgar got the front spot, and then eased back to let Hoy in. Shortly before the pacer pulled off, Edgar let a gap open to Hoy at the front, helping Hoy to launch the winning move. edgar then followed that up with a come from behind ride past Nagai to take the silver. Nagai, who gave up a lucrative pro Keirin career in Japan, took the bronze medal.

"We knew coming in that if I got the front and got the [moto] bike, I would open up a spot for Chris," explained Edgar. "He can go long and I can protect, and then go for my own finish. I got boxed in a bit and had a bit of a shoulder rub with Shane [Kelly]. But I squeezed through and was down the track after Chris."

"It's beyond expectations, I think this is a race I'll remember for a long time," commented Hoy. "It's just fantastic that Ross got silver as well. I left it a little later than normal, because I knew that if I went full gas they might pass me. I had to think about the finish like nothing else."