Men's 4000m Individual Pursuit

 

2008 World Track Championships - Day 1

 

 

MEDAL FINALS

 

The ride off for gold in the Men's Individual Pursuit was almost unbearably tense. Bradley Wiggins hasn't really been challenged at this level for four or five years, but the Dutchman had certainly threatened his status as the world's best pursuiter. with his stunning qualification ride.

And it was Huizenga who went off fastest, soon building up a 7 tenths lead in the first couple of laps. However, just as the shock of this registered, Wiggins really got into his stride and reeled him back almost as quickly as he'd gone away.

At the end of the first Kilometre, Wiggins had actually turned the deficit into a one tenth lead. Could the Dutchman respond? The answer was not immediately obvious as Wiggins only gradually extended his lead to just over a second at half distance. Would Huizenga finish as quickly as he had in qualifying and turn things back to his advantage?

As the third kilo unwound Wiggins continued to turn the screw and gradually Huizenga cracked, losing 2 seconds over the four laps. To his credit he didn't completely disintegrate and held his losses to a further 2 seconds in the final four laps, but by then the crowd were acclaiming the gold medal winning ride of Wiggins.

WIGGINS Bradley GBR4.18.519

beat
HUIZENGA Jenning NED 4.23.474

In the ride off for Bronze Markov went into an early lead and soon had a second lead. Raulston held the deficit at that for a number of laps, but eventually the elastic broke and Markov was able to ease it out to over two seconds at the line.

MARKOV Alexei RUS 4.21.097
beat
ROULSTON Hayden NZL 4.23.663

Very special fans for Bradley Wiggins - family and friends

 

Rider Reaction

Bradley Wiggins: “I'm really satisfied. It's a great relief to win in Manchester which was fantastic. Just pleased I got the job done. I said before I was not too bothered what time I did because I knew what time I was capable of riding. I got a bit excited earlier in the day during the first couple of K in qualifying. I got a bit carried away and had to throttle back a bit in the final kilometre to limit the damage for the final.”

 

“In the final it was a case of going out on a schedule I knew the Dutch guy would not be able to do. This is about three events I have here and I’m back here tomorrow and I had to throttle back a bit and do enough to win really.”

 

“We have Team Pursuit tomorrow and we’re favourites for that and the boys are going really well and its going to be a giant day tomorrow.” On riding at Manchester he said “It’s fantastic riding here. Whether it's Revolution,  World Cup or World Championship. This is certainly one of my best world titles.

 

On his Dutch opponent, he said “I saw him coming. He’s been progressing the last year or two and it was a fantastic ride from him. I went out on a 4.17 schedule and finished on a 4.17 and that was satisfying. There have been a few surprises here today and it's Olympic year so everyone has stepped up a gear.

Shane Sutton points to the Dutchman and yells encouragement to Wiggins in the closing stages.

Brad Wiggins, left, found Jenning Huizenga a tough rival in qualifying

 

QUALIFYING

 

There was a shock for the home crowd as Brad Wiggins qualified only second fastest in the Individual Pursuit, having to give best to Dutch rider Jenning Huizenga in their final heat of the afternoon.

It was a big afternoon crowd which settled down to sample the opening skirmishes of the five days of racing at the 2008 World Track Championships.

The first rider to really lay down a time was Hayden Roulston of New Zealand, and what a ride he did charging round the first kilometre in 68 seconds and going on to complete the 16 laps in 4 minutes 18.305 seconds, a genuinely world class time. He caught and passed Germany's Robert Bengsch in the process and Bengsch was subsequently disqualified for "taking pace", in other words drafting, behind the flying Kiwi.

Brad McGee of Australia - a dominant force in the event earlier this decade - was the next rider to impress, also going off with a 68 second first lap, but he couldn't quite hold the same schedule as Roulston and finished with the still impressive time of 4.20.430.

However, Alexi Markov of Russia produced a beautifully paced ride to slip inside Roulston's time and take the lead with 4.18.242. With Ireland's David O'Loughlin almost matching McGee's time it was clear that things were shaping up for one of the most competitive Pursuit competitions for some time.

The bronze medal ride-off was between Alexi Markov, left, and Hayden Roulston

Former World Champion Sergi Escobar Roure briefly threatened, but blew at the half way mark having gone through the first kilo in the second fastest time, finishing with 4.24.127, some four seconds off his best. Another former champion Robert Bartko, of Germany, was also well off the pace and so it all came down to the final heat and Bradley Wiggins against Huizenga.

Wiggins was off very smartly and was the fastest rider at the 1km point and indeed throughout the heat he was clocking fastest times. It was only as he and Huizenga entered the final 1000 metres that it began to dawn on the watching crowd that the Dutchman was matching the world champion pedal-stroke for pedal stroke. Coming into the last lap it was nip and tuck and the crowd let out a gasp of shock as the riders crossed their respective finishing lines, with Huizenga clearly taking the heat.

So, was Wiggins riding to make the final or was he flat out? His time of 4.17.024 is a second and bit off his best, but the way Huizenga finished so strongly - his final Kilo was under 63 seconds - suggests he may have a little more in the locker for the evening's final. It was a remarkable performance by Huizenga, who had a fine World Cup season, winning in Los Angeles, but never bettering 4m 24s. So, whatever the outcome, it looks set to be a fascinating and tense final. The bronze medal will be contested by Markov and Roulston.

 

Before and afters from Shane Sutton -- concentrating hard during the ride and all smiles afterwards.

 

Earlier in the day, Rob Hayles was withdrawn from competition following anomalies in a routine health check - Hayles withdrawn

Current Standings - Qualification

1. HUIZENGA Jenning NED 4.16.343
2. WIGGINS Bradley GBR 4.17.024
3. MARKOV Alexei RUS 4.18.242
4. ROULSTON Hayden NZL 4.18.305
5. MCGEE Bradley AUS 4.20.430
6. O'LOUGHLIN David IRL 4.20.910
7. ROBERTS Luke AUS 4.21.891
8. PHINNEY Taylor USA 4.22.358
9. TAULER LLULL Antonio ESP 4.22.654
10. DYUDYA Volodymyr UKR 4.22.728
11. SEROV Alexander RUS 4.22.742
12. CORNU Dominique BEL 4.22.786
13. MOURIS Jens NED 4.24.475
14. ESCOBAR ROURE Sergi ESP 4.24.127
15. RYAN Marc NZL 4.24.775
16. BARTKO Robert GER 4.25.142
17. THUAUX Phillip AUS4.26.425
18. POPKOV Vitaliy UKR 4.27.039
19. JANG Sun Jae KOR 4.28.395
20. ALZATE ESCOBAR Carlos Eduardo COL 4.29.944
21. PEREZ Suarez COL 4.33.501
22. STARK Dominique SUI 4.36.386
23. FENG Chun Kai TPE 4.40.755
24. SHAEKHOV Vadim UZB 4.41.832
 - BENGSCH Robert GER disqualified