Men's Omnium
2008 World Track Championships - Day 5
200 TT
Canadian Travis Smith set the early marker of 10.489. There followed a flurry of 11+ second rides until Australian rider Leigh Howard upped the ante with a 10.857 dropping into second spot. Greek rider Vasileios Galanis immediately demoted Howard with a 10.664. Robert Bartko, former world pursuit champ, was a surprise entrant in the all-rounder friendly Omnium, but nonetheless posted a very respectable 10.997. Evgeny Kovalev then posted an 11.413 at the halfway point of the 200TT competition. Hayden Godfrey, another pursuiter-by-trade, put in a very impressive 10.569 to go second.
A huge ripple of applause greeted Steven Burke who roused the crowd with a 10.854, putting him into fourth and well-positioned for the remaining Omnium rounds. Burke was followed by Ghislain Boiron who posted an impressive 10.481 to go top by a whisker. Next up was Belgian rider Tim Mertens who posted 10.944 going 9th fastest, showing just how close the competition was, with the first ten separated by around 0.5 sec. USA rider Bobby Lea posted another sub 11 second time with 10.688.
Belarussian rider Aliaksandr Lisouski had already won the Scratch world title but couldn't break into the 11 second club with an 11.171. Last year's runner up Walter Perez from Argentina followed but again couldn't break the 11 second barrier with an 11.376. Defending Omnium champion was last up and posted a very respectable 10.701.
Above: Steven Burke winds up before his 200m effort
Results:
1 BOIRON Ghislain FRA 10.481
2 SMITH Travis CAN 10.489
3 GODFREY Hayden NZL 10.569
4 GALANIS Vasileios GRE 10.664
5 LEA Bobby USA 10.688
6 KANKOVSKY Alois CZE 10.701
7 BURKE Steven GBR 10.854
8 HOWARD Leigh AUS 10.857
9 BIOLO Gianpaolo ITA 10.926
10 BARTKO Robert GER 10.937
11 MERTENS Tim BEL 10.944
12 SLIPPENS Robert NED 11.132
13 LISOUSKI Aliaksandr BLR 11.171
14 ELORRIAGA ZUBIAUR Unai ESP 11.213
15 SUMI Reona JPN 11.354
16 PEREZ Walter Fernando ARG 11.376
17 KOVALEV Evgeny RUS 11.413
18 KONONENKO Roman UKR 11.441
Scratch
A 5km scratch race offered a completely different challenge to the preceding event, though the short (by Scratch standards) 20 lap format meant that there'd be no hanging around. Reona Sumi was the first to get away with 10 laps to go and by 7 laps to go had a half-lap lead. With 5 laps to go the chase was on in earnest. Kovalev and Lisouski broke away to chase the lone Japanese rider and Sumi admitted defeat with 3 to go. All together then for the final sprint and it was Godfrey who took the win, putting him ahead overall.
Above: New Zealander Godfrey takes the Omnium Scratch Race
Result:
1 GODFREY Hayden NZL
2 HOWARD Leigh AUS
3 PEREZ Walter Fernando ARG
4 BARTKO Robert GER
5 MERTENS Tim BEL
6 BIOLO Gianpaolo ITA
7 LISOUSKI Aliaksandr BLR
8 LEA Bobby USA
9 KANKOVSKY Alois CZE
10 BOIRON Ghislain FRA
11 ELORRIAGA ZUBIAUR Unai ESP
12 SMITH Travis CAN
13 GALANIS Vasileios GRE
14 BURKE Steven GBR
15 SLIPPENS Robert NED
16 KONONENKO Roman UKR
17 KOVALEV Evgeny RUS
18 SUMI Reona JPN
Individual Pursuit
Above: Omnium Pursuit winner and discipline specialist, former pursuit World Champion Robert Bartko of Germany
Heat 1 - First up were Kovalev and Kononenko. Kovalev led in the early stages and kept the edge on his Ukranian counterpart. However the tables were turned in the last kilometre when Kononenko cruised ahead of a fading Kovalev
Kononenko (UKR) 3:23.263
Kovalev (RUS) 3:26.880
Heat 2 - From the early stages, Slippens was way ahead by nearly 3 seconds at the 1000m mark with the fastest overall so far. Slippens kept up his high early pace and had Sumi in his sights with 2 laps to go. At the bell, Slippens came over the top to take a comfortable victory and go fastest overall so far.
Slippens (NED) 3:19.355
Sumi (JPN) 3:29.598
Heat 3 - A huge round of applause once again rang around the velodrome for Steven Burke who faced Spanish rider Elorriaga. After 1km there was very little in it. Then Elorriaga began to edge ahead of the GB rider. However Burke found some reserves of power as the crowd roared in support, helping the young GB rider usurp his rival to finish with a healthy time of 3:23:439, putting him 4th so far.
Burke (GBR) 3:23.439
Elorriaga (SPN) 3:25.729
Heat 4 - Two world title holders, Walter Perez and Belarus rider Alexandr Lisouski, were up next. Lisouski gated well and took 3 seconds out of his rival by the first kilometre, posting the fastest 1km time thus far. Lisouski continued his blistering pace and was still quickest at the 2km point, and continued on to take the win and top spot so far.
Lisouski (BLR) 3:17.464
Perez (ARG) 3:25.365
Heat 5 - After 1km Mertens was comfortably ahead of his on-track rival, though both riders were well off the pace of Lisouski from the previous round. At the line Mertens was comfortably ahead and a strong second half pulled him up to 3rd overall.
Mertens (BEL) 3:21.410
Galanis (GRE) 3:40.991
Heat 6 - Kankovsky took the early lead and kept ahead until the end of the 2nd kilometre. Despite a strong comeback from Biolo, Kankovsky held the lead and took the win.
Kankovsky (CZE) 3:22.184
Biolo (ITA) 3:24.000
Heat 7 - Former world pursuit champion was the fancied rider for this particular ride-off. However, Smith was well placed in the overall competition thus far and had much to lose. Bartko was well ahead of his on-track rival at 1km but only managed second overall behind Lisouski. At 2km Bartko was still in 2nd overall. However, Bartko's class showed in the final km with the experienced German edging ahead to post the fastest time so far.
Bartko (GER) 3:17.078
Smith (CAN) 3:34.299
Heat 8 - Boiron opened up an immediate lead but was pegged back at the first km check by a slow-starting Lea. Lea continued his charge and was 3 seconds ahead at the 2km stage. At the bell, the USA rider caught Boiron to post a comfortable win.
Lea (USA) 3:20.123
Boiron (FRA) 3:30.088
Heat 9 - The current leader and runner up Godfrey and Howard faced-off for the last of the Pursuit heats. At 1km Godfrey was fractionally ahead of his rival, though both were off the pace of the overall leaders. At 2km Howard turned the tables and edged ahead. At the line Howard clinched it, with the 3rd fastest time overall, with Godfrey 4th. So both scoring well and maintaining their positions in the overall standings.
Godfrey (NZL) 3:18. 248
Howard (AUS) 3:18.080
Result:
1 BARTKO Robert GER 3:17.078
2 LISOUSKI Aliaksandr BLR 3:17.464
3 HOWARD Leigh AUS 3:18.080
4 GODFREY Hayden NZL 3:18.248
5 SLIPPENS Robert NED 3:19.355
6 LEA Bobby USA 3:20.123
7 MERTENS Tim BEL 3:21.410
8 KANKOVSKY Alois CZE 3:22.184
9 KONONENKO Roman UKR 3:23.263
10 BURKE Steven GBR 3:23.439
11 BIOLO Gianpaolo ITA 3:24.000
12 PEREZ Walter Fernando ARG 3:25.365
13 ELORRIAGA ZUBIAUR Unai ESP 3:25.729
14 KOVALEV Evgeny RUS 3:26.880
15 SUMI Reona JPN 3:29.598
16 BOIRON Ghislain FRA 3:30.088
17 SMITH Travis CAN 3:34.299
18 GALANIS Vasileios GRE 3:40.991
More Pics
Above: Steven Burke in full flight
Above: Newly crowned World Scratch Champion Lisouski in pursuit mode
Points Race
The Points race opened with a crash in the first few minutes with one rider almost crashing but managing to remain tyres-down. Lisouski, doing well in the overall Omnium, pointed in the first two sprints to take an early lead. Ukraninan Kononenko then broke away and took some useful points to go top after 4 sprints. The penultimate sprint was taken by Godfrey after which GB's very own Steven Burke broke away with half a dozen riders, including Lisouski, currently lying second. To a tumult of applause, Burke took the final sprint and the final 5 points. Kononenko however had done enough earlier on to claim victory in the Omnium Points race.
Result:
1 Kononenko (UKR)
2 Lisouski (BEL)
3 Kovalev (RUS)
Kilo
The last of the Omnium events and the day's racing and heat of the velodrome was beginning to take its toll in an event which tests the speed, strength, versatility and endurance of every rider. New Zealand's Godfrey onto had to finish eighth in the Kilo to claim the overall title and GB's Steven Burke clearly had a point to prove.
Heat 1- Japan's Sumi was first up in the Omnium Kilo and posted a 1:07.743. The Greek rider Galanis was due to run head to head with Sumi but did not start.
Heat 2 - Kovalev and Elorriaga faced-off in Heat Two with Kovalev comfortably beating his rival.
Heat 3 - Travis Smith and Kononenko were up next, the latter fresh from his Points Race win. The pairing both produced fine rides to take 1st and 2nd places at that point.
Heat 4 - Boiron of France was up against Slippens and took a comfortable win with a 1:04.800
Heat 5 - GB's Steven Burke was up against seasoned campaigner and last year's silver medallist Walter Perez. Would experience count? With the crowd spurring him on, Burke piled on the power and as the crowd volume maxed out, helping Burkey on to an impressive 1:03.080, which proved to be the fastest time of the contest.
Heat 6 - Italian Biolo and USA's Bobby Lea were close contenders in the overall standings as they met in the final event. Biolo took the early advantage on the first lap but Lea responded at the bell and went on to beat his opposite number
Heat 7 - Kankovsky and Bartko met in Heat 7 with Steven Burke still sitting pretty at the top of the Omnium Kilo pile. Kankovsky went faster than Burke with a lap to go but faded and eventually dropped into second with Bartko posting a 1:04.977.
Heat 8 - Belgium was pitted against Australia in Heat 7, with Howard clearly superior from the start, taking the heat and 3rd overall.
Heat 9 - Godfrey only needed to finish in the top eight to claim the overall Omnium title but now wasn't a time for complacency. Godfrey was 4th place after the 1st lap, 5th at halfway. Godfrey didn't want to gamble and put the hammer down, finishing an impressive 4th with 1:03.948 and took the overall Omnium victory.
Kilo Result
1 BURKE Steven GBR 1:03.080
2 KANKOVSKY Alois CZE 1:03.408
3 HOWARD Leigh AUS 1:03.779
4 GODFREY Hayden NZL 1:03.948
5 LEA Bobby USA 1:04.611
6 BOIRON Ghislain FRA 1:04.800
7 SMITH Travis CAN 1:04.889
8 BARTKO Robert GER 1:04.977
9 BIOLO Gianpaolo ITA 1:05.230
10 SLIPPENS Robert NED 1:05.632
11 LISOUSKI Aliaksandr BLR 1:05.876
12 MERTENS Tim BEL 1:05.932
13 KONONENKO Roman UKR 1:06.808
14 SUMI Reona JPN 1:07.743
15 KOVALEV Evgeny RUS 1:08.479
16 PEREZ Walter Fernando ARG 1:08.867
17 ELORRIAGA ZUBIAUR Unai ESP 1:09.657
DNS GALANIS Vasileios GRE
Overall Result
Above: The winners celebrate after a gruelling day's competition
1 GODFREY Hayden NZL 19 points
2 HOWARD Leigh AUS 28 points
3 LISOUSKI Aliaksandr BLR 35 points
4 KANKOVSKY Alois CZE 35 points
5 BARTKO Robert GER 37 points
6 BURKE Steven GBR 38 points
7 LEA Bobby USA 39 points
8 MERTENS Tim BEL 39 points
9 BIOLO Gianpaolo ITA 43 points
10 BOIRON Ghislain FRA 49 points
11 SLIPPENS Robert NED 51 points
12 PEREZ Walter Fernando ARG 52 points
13 SMITH Travis CAN 55 points
14 KONONENKO Roman UKR 57 points
15 KOVALEV Evgeny RUS 66 points
16 ELORRIAGA ZUBIAUR Unai ESP 68 points
17 SUMI Reona JPN 73 points
DNF GALANIS Vasileios GRE