Men's 15km Scratch Race
2008 World Track Championships - Day 1
This was a race of three acts - a brave early break, a mid-race stalemate and final frenetic 10 lap break and chase.
From the gun there was a crafty move by Aliaksandr Lisouski of Belorussia and he soon had gained three quarters of a lap before the sleeping peloton really began to react. For a time he looked well able to grab a lap, but the panicking main field finally got their act together and broke him.
With everyone now wide awake, the next few moves were quickly policed and brought back and the race reached half distance without further incident. With some 20 laps to go, despite encouragement from the crowd, GB's Steven Burke lost contact with the back of the field and pulled out.
Steven Burke
Aliaksandr Lisouski of Belorussia
Although the pace was consistently high, it was rapidly becoming a very conservative race, with no-one prepared to make that all-or-nothing effort to gain a lap. Attacks came, but they lacked that ultimate commitment which is so necessary in this event on a 250 metre track.
However, a small break did eventually form with just over 10 laps to go. It included Andreas Mueller of Austria and Kazuhiro Mori of Japan. Mori eventually had to go it alone after his partners lost interest and all seemed lost as the main field went after him with 5 to go. But somehow Mori held on and, amazingly, Aliaksandr Lisouski began to get across to him. With two laps to go it looked like one or other would win. At a lap to go the field seemed to have them covered as Mori tired and Lisouski came past him.
Defying his earlier efforts and the closing field, Aliaksandr Lisouski magnificently held on to claim the gold medal from Wim Stroetinga of Holland, with Kluge of Germany taking the bronze. Mori managed a very brave 6th place and deserved more for having the guts to go so late in the race.
Kazuhiro Mori
Results
1. LISOUSKI Aliaksandr BLR
2. STROETINGA Wim NED
3. KLUGE Roger GER
4. RATAJCZYK Rafal POL
5. COLLA Angel Dario ARG
6. MORI Kazuhiro JPN
