European Track Championships 2006

 

July 19-23; Athens Olympic Velodrome

Home Page European Track Champs

 

Under 23 Mens Scratch Race

 

Silver for GB's Geraint Thomas to add to his Team Pursuit Gold.

 

FINAL
What a cracking race this was and not just because GB came out of it with a silver medal. The pace of the race was frantic and it was this that made the event so entertaining as we waited to see the cracks appear in the field as the riders from different countries attacked, attacked and attacked again.

When a Russian rider got away early on, riders took it in turns to have a go at joining him, including Geraint Thomas who escaped the bunch with a Spanish rider. They raised the pace of the race as they chased down the Russian, but before they reached him, the bunch closed in on them and 'G' swung up.

 

Ben Swift in full flight.

Not long after that move had been nullified, it was Ben Swift's turn to join a move off the front and with a number of countries represented, they soon opened up a gap. The commitment from the other riders though was less than 100 per cent and a number of times Ben tried to slip away and inject some more pace into it. A chase by the Dutch sounded the death knell for the break though and despite Ben's efforts, with around 40 to go, it was all back together.

Then the move of the race and an example of just what racers the GB boys are. A Russian rider clipped off the front and was soon joined by one (Wim Stroetinga) of the two Dutchmen in the race. Geraint Thomas quickly saw the danger and despite not feeling too great on the gear he was on, he started his chase.

 

It took a little while and he was well and truly gassed when he got across but join them he did and then another rider did the same, this time from the Ukraine. Four leaders from four strong nations - this was the move and GB was part of it. Although struggling, Geraint and his three companions started a team pursuit to gain the lap they wanted and although it took longer than they probably expected, gain the lap they did and once they had, there certainly wasn't enough laps left (20) for anyone else to do so meaning that the medals would be settled between them.

 

But if the chase to get the lap was awesome, what happened in the closing laps was absolutely enthralling, especially if you were British or Dutch.

 

Despite the race having been settled, others kept on attacking but it was looking like a bunch sprint and the Dutch had their act together quite early as they circled at the front of the group in tandem. Ben Swift had been trying to recover at the back for quite a while after a spell on the front trying to contain the chase whilst Geraint was chasing to gain his lap.

But with around six laps to go, Ben came up to Geraint and proceeded to take him around the front of the group where G slotted in behind the two Dutchmen whilst Ben got on the front and turned up the heat to stop any last minute attacks. As he did so, there was a fall near the back of the group coming into the home straight but still the gas was kept turned on as Ben did two laps burying himself before the Dutch kept the momentum going with Geraint tucked in just behind the Russian.

The fly in the ointment came when a Czech rider got in the mix as he took on the lead out on as the Dutch train pulled aside for Wim to start his run. Gez meanwhile had to come around the Russian who had parked up and then the Dutchmen kicked again, quickly opening up a gap on Gez who was now past the Czech rider but still three or more lengths adrift of Wim Stroetinga. It was Silver for the GB rider.

Talking to Geraint afterwards, he explained that it's a medal and he would have preferred a gold one obviously but added that he wasn't comfortable in the race. "I struggled pedalling and felt my saddle was quite high and could never really relax. All the preparation we have done has been Team Pursuit (where they won Gold) on 98 and in this I was on 93. That got the better of me really and I was swinging when we got that lap."

"I recovered pretty well though and in the sprint I got knocked off Wim's wheel and if I had of had it, I would have stood a better chance but he's so fast. I'm pretty happy and its another medal.

"Without Swifty, I wouldn't have had that medal, he did get a great job in the last five or six laps winding up the pace and set me up real nice by picking me up from the back and taking me over the top. At the start of the race we both got in moves and I was the lucky one that got in the one that stayed away."

Ben too was pleased with how it went explaining "we both went into the race with an equal opportunity to do something and I was unfortunate my move never stayed away and Gez got one that did. That's just the way the dice rolls."

"Once the group got away, I knew they'd get a lap as they got half a lap real quick and there were some fast guys in the group. I was pretty knackered from my early effort and the gear felt big. When they got on the back, I did a few easy laps on the front just to help them settle in and that hurt me a bit. Then with five to go I got to G and just tried to progressively build it up before the Dutchy train went over the top."

 

Final
1. STROETINGA Wim NED
2. THOMAS Geraint GBR
3. KOVALEV Ivan RUS
4. BAGDONAS Gediminas LTU

5. SCHETS Steve BEL -1
6. HOCHMANN Jiri CZE -1
7. KNEISKY Morgan FRA -1
8. MACIOLEK Dominik POL -1
9. BUJKO Lukasz POL -1
10. TAZREITER Georg AUT -1
11. AZNAR TORRES Aitor ESP -1
12. TRUSSOV Nikolay RUS -1
13. KONDROTAS Simas LTU -1
14. KREUTZFELDT Daniel Adelhard DEN -1
15. TERPSTRA Niki NED -1
16. KUNITSKI Andrei BLR -1
17. COCQUYT Nicky BEL -1
18. SWIFT Ben GBR -1
19. BALLY Maxime SUI -1
20. JORGENSEN Casper DEN -1
21. VERA ALCARAZ Pedro ESP -1
DNF 89 CONCANNON Miceal IRL -1
DNF 145 LAUENER Alain SUI -1
DNF 149 MYNASHKIN Sergiy UKR -1

QUALIFYING
Heat 1
1. MYNASHKIN Sergiy UKR
2. BAGDONAS Gediminas LTU
3. AZNAR TORRES Aitor ESP
4. KUNITSKI Andrei BLR
5. KREUTZFELDT Daniel Adelhard DEN
6. TERPSTRA Niki NED
7. CONCANNON Miceal IRL -1
8. SWIFT Ben GBR -1
9. LAUENER Alain SUI -1
10. SCHETS Steve BEL -1
11. MACIOLEK Dominik POL -1
12. TRUSSOV Nikolay RUS -1
13. BIOLO Gianpaolo ITA -1
14. KOCNER Michael AUT -1
15. MARITSIS Petros GRE -1
16. MIXA Marek CZE -1
17. ZAHN Tuanua FRA -1
18. KALZ Marcel GER -1


Heat 2
1. KONDROTAS Simas LTU
2. VERA ALCARAZ Pedro ESP
2. KOVALEV Ivan RUS
4. STROETINGA Wim NED -1
5. THOMAS Geraint GBR -1
6. COCQUYT Nicky BEL -1
7. BUJKO Lukasz POL -1
8. JORGENSEN Casper DEN -1
9. KNEISKY Morgan FRA -1
10. HOCHMANN Jiri CZE -1
11. TAZREITER Georg AUT -1
12. BALLY Maxime SUI -1
13. TRIANTAFYLLOU Triantafyllos GRE -1
14. KUX Christian GER -1
15. NEXHIPI Zydian ALB -1
16. MURRAY Micheal IRL -1
17. SMIRNOU Dzmitry BLR -1
18. RADEV Svetlin BUL -1
REL 99 PINOS Andrea ITA -1

 

The GB train gets started with 5 or 6 to go ...

 

Ben goes over the top of the Dutch train to get to the front.

 

 

Whilst Ben Swift buries himself in a big hole at the front, other riders find themselves crashing into their own holes with three to go.

 

Ben really gives it full gas as he leads the sprint out.

 

The Dutch take over leading out their man Wim.

 

A rogue gets into the mix whilst Gez behind has to go wide to get back to the Dutchmen.

 

Victory for a Dutchman whilst Gez gets second.

 

More medals for the Welshman.

Not sure why Ed Clancy and Ross Sander are smiling so widely -- perhaps it has something to do with the young lady behind them or the bike racing?

 

Start of the final.

 

Gez attacks early on in the race.

 

HEATS
Ben Swift had his first race of the championships when he lined up for Heat 2 of the Mens Under 23 Scratch race whilst Gold medallist from the Team Pursuit, Geraint Thomas was in Heat 1. In each heat, 10 riders qualified.

Heat 1
Despite being a qualifier, there were plenty of riders willing to make the effort in taking laps, and in all, seven riders managed to escape the bunch and gain a lap which assured them of a place in the final. Ben Swift meanwhile, had a few digs but was largely happy to stay in the main group.

With two laps to go, and only three places in the bunch sprint to count as seven had a lap up, Ben placed himself at the front of the bunch happy to let one of the Italian riders to take on the sprint before Ben gave it full gas after the bell and raced around to the finish in first place and 8th in the event.

Heat 2
It was a similar race in this heat, with four riders managing to get a lap on the field. That left 6 places in the final sprint and with a handful of laps left to go, Geraint Thomas moved himself up to the front where he stayed until the sprint was kicked off by a Belarusian rider. Gez slotted in to second wheel and stayed there until one of the Dutch riders took a flyer as the bell rang out.

It was then on for all young and old and in the scramble, Geraint lost a few places but having been given 5th place in the result, he too had made the final and now the only race that mattered was the final where he would look to add to this Gold from the Team Pursuit.