UCI 2006 World Track Championships
Women's Sprint
April 14/15, 2006; Bordeaux (France)
British Cycling's Larry Hickmott reports
2006 World Track Championships
Great Britain went into this event with the defending World Champion Victoria Pendleton. With the first four going straight through to the 1/8th finals, the top riders were looking for a time in the 200 metre qualifying run to help them achieve that goal. It started with Cuban Lizandra Guerra doing a world class time of 11.4.28 in only her first senior World Championships. Suffice to say her time stood on the leader board for a long time and was eventually good enough for 5th fastest.
For Victoria Pendleton, having done a low 11 in Melbourne, her resulting time of 11.432 put in 6th place in the table which meant she would have to ride in the 16th finals. There she came up against French rider Celine Nivert who never threatened to end her run, and nor did Elisa Frisoni of Italy who she met in the 1/8th final. In that, Victoria came out of the final bend two or three lengths clear, in no danger of being beaten and had her coach Shane Sutton screaming at her to slow up to save the legs for later that evening.
Victoria takes care of Frisoni of Italy in the 1/8th final.
Above: Natallia Tsylinskaya (Belarus) in great form two tenths quicker than anybody else.
Quarter Finals
Victoria returned in the evening for the quarter finals, a best of three round where she came up against the very quick Simona Krupeckaite of Lithuania. Victoria won her first heat comfortably but lost the next one when Simona Krupeckaite surprised her at the bell and raced away to even the round. In the final decider, Victoria came from behind to win, just, and proceed through to the semi finals.
DAY 2 OF THE SPRINT
Victoria gets a pep talk from coach Shane Sutton and Steve Peters.
For Great Britain's Victoria Pendleton, the 2006 World Championships have been a struggle as she admitted after winning a Silver medal in the Women's Sprint today. Her coach Shane Sutton described her performance as a 'battling one' as the former World Champion did her best to continue to race through the fatigue felt from the Commonwealth Games.
It started well enough in the semi finals as she decisively despatched Shuang Guo of China in two rounds. The final for gold though was tougher. The first heat she was caught out by Natallia Tsylinskaya and struggled to get on terms with her and then in heat two, again, the Belarusian was too fast for Victoria who pushed her all the way.
Prior to getting her medal, I spoke to Victoria and she said "I'm in the top two in the World and today I wasn't really on it. She was riding so strongly and the speed she had to use to beat me saw the fastest times of the competition."
"I haven't really enjoyed it that much and I think it has been harder than I imagined it would be after the Commonwealth Games to get back into training and riding a Worlds. It's rare that you have two competitions so close together so I guess I am pleased. Second place isn't that bad."
"I wanted to podium and I have done. Obviously I wanted a rainbow jersey but there is still tomorrow."
Shane Sutton proudly showing off Victoria's Silver medal after the Womens Sprint.
Victoria keeps her eye on Natallia Tsylinskaya in the final for Gold.
Podium for Women's Sprint.
Victoria comes around Shuang Guo (China) in the Semi Finals.
RESULTS
Semi-finals
1. Natallia Tsylinskaya (Belarus) 11.445 11.648
2. Clara Sanchez (France)
1. Victoria Pendleton (Great Britain) 12.027 11.882
2. Shuang Guo (China)
Finals
For gold and silver
1 Natallia Tsylinskaya (Belarus) 11.386 11.426
2 Victoria Pendleton (Great Britain)
For bronze
3 Shuang Guo (China) 11.851 11.643
4 Clara Sanchez (France)
Qualifying 200m TT
1. Natallia Tsylinskaya (Belarus) 11.052 (65.146 km/h)
2. Shuang Guo (China) 11.268
3. Simona Krupeckaite (Lithuania) 11.365
4. Clara Sanchez (France) 11.414
5. Lizandra Guerra (Cuba) 11.428
6. Victoria Pendleton (Great Britain) 11.432
7. Elisa Frisoni (Italy) 11.444
8. Yvonne Hijgenaar (Netherlands) 11.507
9. Tamilia Abassova (Russia) 11.558
10. Dana Gloss (Germany) 11.589
11. Magdalena Sara (Poland) 11.622
12. Anna Meares (Australia) 11.625
13. Jinjie Gong (China) 11.657
14. Christin Muche (Germany) 11.703
15. Diana Maria Garcia Orrego (Colombia) 11.729
16. Jennie Reed (USA) 11.755
17. Zhang Lei (China) 11.777
18. Kerrie Meares (Australia) 11.805
19. Céline Nivert (France) 11.869
20. Miriam Welte (Germany) 12.074
1/16 finals
Heat 2
1. Victoria Pendleton (Great Britain) 12.373
2. Céline Nivert (France)
1/8 Finals
Heat 6
1 Victoria Pendleton (Great Britain) 12.265
2 Elisa Frisoni (Italy)
1/4 Finals
Heat 3
1 Victoria Pendleton (Great Bri 11.991 11.626
2 Simona Krupeckaite (Lithuania) 11.576
