Men's Sprint

 

2008 World Track Championships - Day 2 - Day 3

MEN SPRINT FINALS

 

Gold Medal Ride-off: Chris Hoy took the first heat after Sireau went too soon on the final lap and found himself committed with the big Scot on his wheel. Sireau has amazing speed, but Hoy still had enough to come round him and win with a well-timed lunge for the line, the margin little more than a tyre width.

Quite amazingly Sireau let Hoy follow him into the last lap again. Again he found himself unable to hold off the Scotsman who needed no second bidding to come round him and take the win with half a bike length to spare.

The moment Hoy sealed the world sprint title.

 

The Manchester crowd, so accustomed to success, nonetheless produced a special roar of approval. Hoy rode to where his family were sitting on the front row by the finish line and was engulfed by them and by the dozens of photographers who emerged onto the track. It was a truly special moment and everyone in the building seemed to recognise it. We're checking the record books, but it looks like Chris is also the first rider to win all four sprint titles in his career - Match Sprint, Keirin, Team and Kilo.

Hoy Chris GBR beat Sireau Kevin FRA 2-0

A hug from girlfriend Sarra after his momentous victory

 

Rider Reaction

Chris Hoy: “this is the most surprising [of my big wins], even more so than the kierin last year. I never dreamt I would win this. I came here with an outside chance of a medal, but my form seems to be stepping up and up. More than my speed, it's my tactical awareness. I made a couple of mistakes in the earlier rides but I had a lot of confidence having the best coaches. That is the difference.”

 

“I have always had good speed but without the help of my coaches Jan and Iain, I would not be standing here. I never had the tactical ability and I have had the best coaches to get it. Kilo riders get the reputation for being a bit stupid and hopefully I have dispelled that by thankfully learning relatively fast and with Beijing coming up hopefully it’s a realistic medal chance. I went out there with a  clear idea of what I was going to do.”

 

“You have to imagine yourself in the rainbow jersey and if you lose the second ride, it can really throw you and I saw that at the Olympics with Theo Bos and Ryan Bayley. Not until I crossed the line did I let myself think about anything other than the race itself.”

 

“This is a great boost for my confidence because I now know I have the potential to do it in Beijing but it's a whole different race when you get there and anyone of six or seven guys could get it so I am not taking anything for granted.”

 

On who was the hardest to beat – Sireau or  Theo Bos, “They are both incredibly fast riders and both very smart so both were very difficult. Theo caught me napping in the quarters and me look a bit stupid while Sireau is very similar in his ability to go long and to push for a full 500 metres and not just at the end. They are both young and talented and have great futures ahead of them. Beating Theo was a key moment.”

About the fact his coach Jan van Eijden won the same title last time the Worlds were in Manchester, Chris replied “Jan is quite emotional I think. I spoke to him before the final about his world championships here and he just said to me take your opportunities when you can and that is what I did.”

 

On whether he had beaten Sireau of France before, Chris said “not recently. I beat him when he first came on the scene but in the best of three before he’s beaten me two nil. I met in him Copenhagen, and Sydney, and he beat me both times.”

 

On whether he can train for all three events at the Olympics - Keirin, Sprint and Team Sprint - Chris replied, “physically they are very similar. It’s the psychological side of it and the ability to get up every morning after each one that will be the test.”

 

On the crowd and on his family being there he said “they have been fantastic, its been like having that extra push behind you”.

 

On being able to get up for the Keirin Chris said “you just have to. It’s not going to be easy to sleep after a day like today but we had to do it Athens with the Team Sprint and Kilo.”

 

Jan van Eijden, World Sprint Champion Manchester 2000 and Chris'c coach: “This is also a big competition for me as well and I go through the emotions. It is just fantastic. The Sprint is just a magic event. I know I have influence with him working with him but at the end of the day, he is the one on the track and I am proud for him.”

The emotion is clear on Chris's face as he listens to the national anthem

 

Hoy and son - Chris shares the joy of victory with his father David

 

Bronze Medal Ride-off: Bourgain won the first heat with a bit to spare, never letting Chiappa settle and then out-accelerating him in the back straight to win by half a bike length. He then caught the Italian napping in the second heat, going up the inside and leading out and using his superior speed to win comfortably.

Bourgain Mickael FRA beat Chiappa Roberto ITA 2-0

MEN SPRINT SEMI FINALS
Chris Hoy bossed his first semi against the dangerous Chiappa, never letting this opponent get a sniff of the front, holding him off and delaying his final commitment as late as possible. When he went at 200m to go he knew that his pure speed would make it virtually impossible for the Italian to get past him and so it proved.

Chiappa tried to change tack in the second heat, leading out the final lap, but Hoy was always on him and when he turned up the gas the Italian had no answer, to the delight of the packed Friday night crowd.

Hoy Chris GBR beat Chiappa Roberto ITA 2-0

Sireau took the first heat against countryman Bourgain with an impressive kick coming out of the final bend, coming over the top in sensational style after Bourgain appeared to have nailed him with a sharp passing move of his own down the back straight.

Sireau then wrapped it up with a second win out of two, but not before Bourgain had tried everything to unsettle him. He forced Sireau up against the outside of the track and kept him high for as long as possible, but Sireau bided his time and came past in the last 20 metres or so. Bourgain was warned by the commissaries for his riding.

Sireau Kevin FRA beat Bourgain Mickael FRA 2-0

 

MEN SPRINT QUARTER FINALS

Match 1: Chiappa continued his excellent form, taking the first heat, catching Vynokurov napping with a lap to go and never letting him get back on terms. Chiappa then sealed the win with an emphatic ride off the front to book his place in the semis.

Chiappa Roberto ITA beat Vynokurov Andriy UKR 2-0

Match 2: Bauge took the first heat of this all French clash by taking advantage 200m out when Sireau left the door open for him - needing no second invitation, Bauge dived underneath him and surged away. Game over! However, Sireau turned the tables in the second heat, coming round the outside to win during a very physical and fast last lap, when the riders touched on several occasions. The third heat was almost a carbon copy, with the pair side by side for most of the last lap, with Sireau getting the win by a wheel width.

Sireau Kevin FRA beat Bauge Gregory FRA 2-1

Match 3: Bourgain won the first heat with ominous ease, never letting Kenny get away and forcing him into leading the race out. Kenny stuck his head down with 200m to go, but Bourgain had a bit to spare as he came round the Bolton rider to win by a wheel. Bourgain then took the second heat too. It was amessy affair in which Bourgain seemed to leave the door open having gone to the front, but shutting it as Kenny tried to go up the inside, forcing him to back off and effectively loosing him the race. The commissaries had a look at it, but Bouragin's win stood and he went through.

Bourgain Mickael FRA beat Kenny Jason GBR 2-0

Match 4: Bos versus Hoy -- This match-up had a hint of clash of the titans about it and it duly delivered. But Bos won the first heat with embarrassing ease, catching Chris cold with a lap to go, after some track standing, and diving under him with such speed that Hoy rapidly accepted his fate and gave up, leaving Bos to waste a little energy blasting to the finish, unaware he already had it in the bag.

 

Hoy regained some pride with a very narrow win in the second heat, holding off Bos with a supreme effort through the last corner as the pair went shoulder to shoulder. The final heat was a minor epic, with both riders using the whole of the Track. Bos tried to catch Hoy cold again, but the Scot was having none of it and he forced Bos to commit himself on the last lap. Hoy then just managed to get past last year's world champion to win by half a wheel.

Hoy Chris GBR beat Bos Theo NED 2-1

Minor Final

Jason Kenny took the minor final to wrap up a great night for the GB team, with Vynokurov second and Bauge third whilst Theo Bos lost interest and cruised around last and 8th in the classification after winning the title twice.

 

Round 2: Round 2 was drama free until Chris Hoy came up against Maximilian Levy. The Scot was going round his opponent in the final bend when the German swung up the track forcing Chris to check and go under him, losing momentum and the race in the process. Happily, the Commissaires were quick to reverse the result and relegate Levy.

 

There was more excitement in the next heat when Jason Kenny did wonderfully well to hold off Francois Pervis of France over the last half lap to claim a place in the quarters.  Also going through were big guns Bos, Bauge and Bourgain, though Chiappa once again showed his craft by forcing Sireau into the Repechage.

 

The Round 2 Repechage saw wins for Kevin Sireau - by a tyre width from team-mate Pervis - and Andriy Vynokurov.

Chris Hoy battles with Germanys Maximilian Levy.

Jason Kenny heads for home to beat Francois Pervis.

Gregory Bauge takes the  Andriy Vynokurov.

Kevin Sireau tries to come around Chiappa but was unsuccesfull.

 

Qualification & Round 1: After the French dominated Sprint Qualification there were few shocks in the first round of the competition as all the big stars disposed of their drawn opponents. The only shock was the departure of Ross Edgar, who fell foul of the wily old Italian Roberto Chiappa.

In qualifying, there had been personal bests for the GB duo of Chris Hoy and Jason Kenny - the latter by a big margin - but the French, led by Kevin Sireau with a sub 10 second ride, packed four riders into the top six, emphasising their tremendous strength in sprinting at the moment.

Francois Pervis beats Aussie Mark French. Right: Jason Kenny on his way to beating Kiyofumi Nagai.

Aussie Olympic champion Ryan Bayley in full flight.

Ross Edgar comes undone against Italian Roberto Chiappa.

Chris Hoy keeps a wary eye on Dutchman Teun Mulder.

 

Photos

Chris Hoy winds it up for the qualifying and fourth fastest.

Kevin Sireau launches himself on his way to fastest time.

Gregory Bauge.

Mickael Bourgain

Jason Kenny on his way to a new personal best.

Left: Ross Edgar and right, Theo Bos.

Francois Pervis surprises in the 200 with 6th fastest.

 

Men's Sprint Round 2

CHIAPPA Roberto ITA
beat
SIREAU Kevin FRA

BAUGE Gregory FRA
Beat
VYNOKUROV Andriy UKR

BOURGAIN Micka묠FRA
beat
PERKINS Shane AUS

BOS Theo NED
beat
BAYLEY Ryan AUS

HOY Chris GBR
Beat
LEVY Maximilian GER DSQ

KENNY Jason GBR
beat
PERVIS Francois FRA

Round 2 Repechage (winner to Quarter Finals)

Heat 1
1. SIREAU Kevin FRA
2. PERVIS Francois FRA
3. BAYLEY Ryan AUS

Heat 2
1. VYNOKUROV Andriy UKR
2. PERKINS Shane AUS
3. LEVY Maximilian GER

Men's Sprint Round 1

SIREAU Kevin FRA
beat
KITATSURU Tsubasa JPN

BAUGE Gregory FRA
beat
PTACNIK Filip CZE

BOURGAIN Micka?FRA
beat
BLATCHFORD Michael USA

BOS Theo NED
beat
KWIATKOWSKI Lukasz POL

HOY Chris GBR
beat
MULDER Teun NED

PERVIS Fran?s FRA
beat
FRENCH Mark AUS

KENNY Jason GBR
beat
NAGAI Kiyofumi JPN

LEVY Maximilian GER
beat
RUBAN Sergey RUS

BAYLEY Ryan AUS
beat
BERGEMANN Carsten GER

PERKINS Shane AUS
beat
WATANABE Kazunari JPN

VYNOKUROV Andriy UKR
beat
AWANG Azizulhasni MAS

CHIAPPA Roberto ITA
beat
EDGAR Ross GBR

Men's Sprint Qualification - 200m TT

1. SIREAU Kevin FRA 9.992
2. BAUGE Gregory FRA 10.028
3. BOURGAIN Micka¹¨FRA 10.029
4. HOY Chris GBR 10.032
5. BOS Theo NED 10.032
6. PERVIS FranÞès FRA 10.035
7. KENNY Jason GBR 10.067
8. LEVY Maximilian GER 10.073
9. BAYLEY Ryan AUS 10.126
10. PERKINS Shane AUS 10.150
11. AWANG Azizulhasni MAS 10.160
12. EDGAR Ross GBR 10.178
13. CHIAPPA Roberto ITA 10.187
14. VYNOKUROV Andriy UKR 10.201
15. WATANABE Kazunari JPN 10.275
16. BERGEMANN Carsten GER 10.276
17. FRENCH Mark AUS 10.296
18. RUBAN Sergey RUS 10.287
19. NAGAI Kiyofumi JPN 10.292
20. MULDER Teun NED 10.310
21. KWIATKOWSKI Lukasz POL 10.312
22. BLATCHFORD Michael USA 10.313
23. PTACNIK Filip CZE 10.316
24. KITATSURU Tsubasa JPN 10.340
25. NG ONN LAM Josiah MAS 10.352
26. MAZQUIARAN URIA Hodei ESP 10.366
27. VELDT Tim NED 10.373
28. ELLIS Daniel AUS 10.377
29. BORISOV Sergey RUS 10.379
30. DUVENDECK Adam USA 10.419
31. LYNCH Ricardo JAM 10.439
32. ALONSO RUBIO Alvaro ESP 10.456
33. LI Wen Hao CHN 10.460
34. MASSIE Giddeon USA 10.475
35. SMITH Travis CAN 10.475
36. NIMKE Stefan GER 10.500
37. DMITRIEV Denis RUS 10.512
38. TANG Qi CHN 10.539
39. VOLIKAKIS Christos GRE 10.592
40. REPPAS Vasileios GRE 10.617
41. BIELECKI Maciej POL 10.638
42. BABEK Tomas CZE 10.647
43. MELIA MANGRINAN Salvador ESP 10.684
44. MANTZOURANIS Athanasios GRE 10.736