Ellesse Andrews
Olympic Games double gold medallist, Ellesse Andrews set a world record, while the kiwi endurance riders dominated on the final day of the UCI Oceania Track Cycling Championships in Brisbane.
Bryony Botha and Samantha Donnelly claim madison success at the Oceania championships in Brisbane. Photo: Mat Gilfedder/Oceania Cycling Confederation
The Cambridge-based sprint cyclist set a world record in the time trial, increased this year to 1000 metres to make it the same for both male and female riders.
Andrews, who has an endurance background, clocked 1m 4.697s in qualifying at an average speed of 56kph. That broke the first world record over the new distance for women of 1m 7.287s set by Belgium rider Marith Vanhove recently at the Zolder Velodrome.
Andrews went 0.3s slower in winning the final from teammate Shaane Fulton.
Bryony Botha earlier set two world records in the women’s individual pursuit,which has been increased to 4000m.
The times set a benchmark for riders in the upcoming European Championships at Zolder.
Campbell Stewart and Tom Sexton claimed madison success at the Oceania Championships in Brisbane. Photo: Mat Gilfedder / Oceania Cycling Confederation)
The powerful showing by the kiwi contingent was emphasised with wins for the pairings of Botha and Samantha Donnelly and Campbell Stewart and Tom Sexton in the exhausting two-rider Madison, where one rider is always in play, swapping with a one-handed sling.
Stewart and Sexton had a ding-dong battle with leading Australians Oliver Bleddyn and Blake Agnoletto, winning the 200-lap, 50km race by just four points. The kiwi pair won eight sprints, but were relegated from one sprint before finishing third in the final double-point sprint to secure the title.
It was an all-kiwi battle in the women’s Madison over 120 laps with Botha and Donnelly edging out teammates Rylee McMullen and Emily Shearman by six points.
Elite riders are preparing for next month’s UCI Nations Cup competition in Turkey and the national championships in Invercargill in two weeks.
Caption: Ellesse Andrews on her way to setting a new world record. Photo: Mat Gilfedder, Oceania Cycling Confederation.
