Men's Kilo (1000m Time Trial)
2008 World Track Championships - Day 5
With last year's winner Chris Hoy concentrating on the Sprint, Team Sprint and Keirin this year, with resounding success, it was left to the young guns of Matt Crampton and Dave Daniell to fly the GB flag.
Above: Crampton on his way to a 1:01.822, followed by an agonising wait...
First up was Ben Kersten from Australia who laid down a 1:03.330 to open proceedings. Next up was the first of the two GB hopes, Dave Daniell. If roaring, board banging and applause meant extra k.m.h it certainly helped with the Brit posting a 1:03.018. Yong Feng of China was next up and was slow on the first lap but opened up the afterburners on the last lap to record a 1:02.955 giving him the lead. Matt Crampton lit up the crowd next with a stunning 18.3 opening lap and continued on to record a storming 1:01.822, taking overall lead in the process. Dawkins of New Zealand was next up but failed to make an impact on Crampton's time with a 1:02.893. The hugely powerful German Robert Fostermann followed and posted a quick opening lap, just outside Crampton's time. However, Fostermann cracked on that torturous last lap, finishing on 1:03.179. Greek rider Reppas followed but didn't impact on the medal positions with a 1:04.888. Spaniard Mazouiran posted a 1:03.512 and left Crampton on the top of the pile after the first eight riders had played their hands.
Above: Frenchman D'Almeida guns his way into Silver medal position
Greek rider Mantzouranis then posted a 1:04.202 beating his team mate but vitally leaving Crampton on top. Russian Sergey Polynskiy was next out of the gate and posted a 1:04.025 and took 8th place. Tisin of Malaysia was next up, fresh from a good showing at the Sydney World Cup and followed through with a 1:02.409, going into second place. Kuczynski of Poland started well but faded lap by lap to eventually post a 1:03.482. Michaël D'Almeida of France was next up and posted a quick 18.6 opening lap and got even quicker by the halfway mark, taking the lead and eventually demoting Crampton to second with a 1:01.514. Tomas Babek of the Czech Republic had a big ask to upstage D'Almeida and was last on the track until a stirling last lap effort brought gave him a 1:03.612. Lee Wen Hao of China, who medalled in all four World Cups, was definitely one to watch and duly posted a 1:02.503 to claim 4th. Next up was reigning World Cup Champion, Ukranian Yevhen Bolibrukh. An 18.6 opening lap put him around 0.3 off the pace, eventually going 4th with1:02.432.
Above: A flying Teun Mulder on his way to Gold in the kilo
The final 6 were the seeded riders from last year's World Champs, minus, of course, Chris Hoy and Jamie Staff. First up was German Seidenbecher posted a 1:03.428 but didn't break into the medals. Australian Scott Sunderland was next and was 8th in last year's competition and produced the fastest opening lap but slowed dramatically lap by lap eventually posting a 1:02.515, dropping into sixth. French challenger Didier Henriette was next up but never challenged to top placings with a 1:03.395, not replicating his excellent World Cup results. The legendary Teun Mulder followed and posted an 18.145 opening lap, followed by a storming second lap and held onto his advantage to take the top spot and knock Crampton into Bronze with only two riders to go, first of whom was Mulder's countryman Tim Veldt. Veldt failed to match his team mate's pace, however, with a 1:02.757. Final challenger was France's Francois Pervis. Would Crampton hold onto a medal position in his first senior World Championships? An 18.0 second 1st lap from Pervis looked ominous. Lap two continued the theme. At the bell, Pervis was still ahead but struggling. However the Frenchman hung on to take Bronze with 1:01.579, pushing Matt Crampton in 4th place in the final standings.
Above: D'Almeida, Mulder and Pervis celebrate on the podium
Result
Teun Mulder (NED) 1:01.332
D'Almeida M (FRA) 1:01.514
Pervis F (FRA) 1:01.579
Crampton M (GBR) 1:01.822
Tisin M (MAS) 1:02.409
Bolibrukh Y (UKR) 1:02.432
Lee Wen Hao (CHN) 1:02.503
Sunderland S (AUS) 1:02.515
Veldt T (NED) 1:02.757
Dawkins E (NZL) 1:02.899
Feng Y (CHN) 1:02.955
Daniell D (GBR) 1:03.018