Preview: National Track Cycling Championships 2007

 

Event Date: 2-6 October 2007

A star-studded line up of over 140 riders will take to the track at the world-famous Manchester Velodrome for the 2007 National Track Cycling Championships, which run from October 2-6.

Manchester Velodrome has twice hosted the World Track Championships (1996 & 2000) and after a complete re-laying of the Track surface in the spring, the venue is now building up to hosting the World Championships again next year on March 26th to 30th. October's National Championships mark the start of the winter season for many of the leading riders: a season in which they will be building up to the World Championships and then the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Of course British riders are now amongst the leading exponents of Track racing in the world. At this year's World Championships, held in Majorca, the team came away with an unprecedented 7 gold medals and completely dominated the medal table. Many of the riders who contributed to that outstanding team performance will be in competition during the National Track Championships as they set off on the long road to Beijing.

SPRINT EVENTS

Leading the line up of stars is triple world champion Victoria Pendleton, who will be competing in two of her world title disciplines, the Sprint and Keirin. She will also be having a run out in the 500m time trial. She will be a huge favourite for all three. The one rider who looks capable of unsettling Pendleton in the sprint events is Anna Blyth, a recent world champion at Junior level, who made a very promising debut at the 2007 senior world championships.

Victoria Pendleton

Another sprinter, Chris Hoy, came away from the Track World Championships as a double champion and he will be a strong contender in both the Sprint and Keirin events. In the Team Sprint he lines up with fellow Scots Craig MacLean and Ross Edgar. This trio took the silver at the World Championships and it will take a major upset to deny them at the National Championships.

However, it says much for Britain's increasing strength in depth in sprinting that Hoy, MacLean and Edgar will not have everything their own way in the shorter events. Local lads Matt Crampton and Jason Kenny both have the pedigree to upset their better-known GB team-mates. Kenny in particular, a multiple Junior World Champion in 2006, is a fine all-round sprinter with a fearless and aggressive riding style.

Chris Hoy

In the Team Sprint, Crampton joins up with former world champions at the discipline, Jamie Staff and Jason Queally, and if anyone is to stop the Scottish trio from triumphing it will be these three.

Staff won a bronze medal at the world championships in the Kilo (1000m time trial), which Olympic champion Chris Hoy won in his final outing at the distance. Staff has an excellent pedigree in the Kilo, having won a bronze medal at the distance on the Manchester track five years ago in the Commonwealth Games and he will start as a clear favourite in this four-lap race.

With such star quality available, the championships promise to be a major draw - how often can British sport boast the opportunity to see so many home-grown world beaters under one roof?

DISABILITY CATEGORY

The Disability Championships will be something of a homecoming for the victorious GB team which won 13 gold medals at the recent World Championships in France. Household names like Darren Kenny, Anthony Kappes, Sarah Bailey and Aileen McGlynn will line up for a three event competition, where riders perform against a handicap system, based on the world's best performances in their various disability categories.

Aileen McGynn, with pilot Ellen Hunter

With the Paralympics also looming, it will also be interesting to see the debuts of pilots Jon Norfolk and Fran Newstead, who both enjoyed careers with the able-bodied national team.

MEN'S DISTANCE/ENDURANCE EVENTS

In the distance events, the biggest draw is another double world champion, Bradley Wiggins. It's easy to forget that this rider, who was such a public figure during the Tour de France, began the season with two stunning rides at the World Championships: in Majorca he won the Individual Pursuit and contributed hugely to victory for GB in the 4-man 4000m Team Pursuit discipline. With a personal best several seconds faster than anyone else entered, Wiggins should completely dominate the Individual Pursuit event, also held over 4000 metres (16 laps).

Bradley Wiggins - always a crowd favourite

If you are looking for rivals to Wiggins in the Individual Pursuit, look no further than fellow professional Road star, David Millar, who is the defending champion. Millar proved he can ride against the clock on the Track in winning the national title in 2006. With Commonwealth Games Champion Paul Manning also entered, it promises to be the most competitive and exciting domestic Pursuit competition since the days of Graeme Obree and Chris Boardman.

Wiggins' sheer speed around the track will also make him a contender in the Scratch Race and Points Race, though he will not expect to have things all his own way. There are a number of strong contenders for both events. Former world Points Race champion Chris Newton will want to make an impact again in these events, which he dominated for a period a couple of years ago.

This may also be the year that one of the younger riders makes an impact in these events, with a remarkable new generation of talent coming through: Ian Stannard and Ben Swift have both attracted the interest of professional Road teams following their performances on the Road this summer and both are talented "Trackies" as well. Even younger are this year's top Juniors on both Road and Track, Adam Blythe and Peter Kennaugh, who have both shown little respect for their elders during phenomenal seasons. Both have the raw talent to win against the best. Also likely to be in the mix are Rob Hayles, Alex Dowsett, Ed Clancy and Keiran Page.

100% ME in Team Pursuit formation

The Team Pursuit has attracted 8 teams. The stand-out is the 100% ME team, made up of riders on the GB Team's Under-23 Academy. With Alex Dowsett, Steven Burke, Jonathan Bellis, Andrew Tennant and Russell Hampton all in the mix for selection, they will be well drilled and very hard to beat.

WOMEN'S DISTANCE/ENDURANCE EVENTS

The Women's distance events are perhaps the hardest of all to read, with many young riders bursting through onto the scene at the moment. The Points Race and Scratch Race should suit the burgeoning talents of 18 year old Lizzy Armistead, who has been all-but unbeatable on the Road in the UK this season. However, she will face tough opposition from another 18 year old, Wales' Katie Curtis, who made an impressive debut at the Track World Championships this year.

Sixteen year old Hannah Mayho and seventeen year old Emma Trott have also both had big wins against senior opposition this year. Of the more experienced riders, Scotland's Kate Cullen has a great record and has represented her county at the highest levels, whilst veteran Janet Birkmyre probably racks up more Track wins per season than any other rider in the field.

Great rivals, Wendy Houvenaghel and Rebecca Romero

The Women's 3000m Individual Pursuit is altogether easier to call, with GB stars Rebecca Romero - a former Olympic medal winning rower - and Wendy Houvenaghel in a class of their own. Wendy just missed out on a medal at the World Championships, but Rebecca stunned everyone by smashing the national record and claiming a silver medal. Wendy recently turned the tables, beating Rebecca in the National Time Trial Championships. Both riders should go comfortably under 3 minutes 40 seconds and the winner will be looking to take a psychological advantage into the winter's international season. Also worthy on note in the Pursuit is Paralympic athlete Sarah Bailey, who will expect to be in the scrap for bronze.

So there you have it: without a doubt the greatest assembly of Track racing talent ever seen for the National Championships. With numerous World, Commonwealth and Olympic Champions on display, all eager to make an impact as the pre-Olympic season of World Cups are just around the corner, the racing promises to be something special.

TICKETS

Tickets for this event cost £5 per day (covering the morning and evening sessions) or a 5-day event ticket can be purchased for the reduced price of £20. Under 16s enter free if accompanied by a paying adult, and group bookings of 10 or more qualify for 2 free tickets per group.

 

Tickets are available from Ticketmaster - To order your tickets, either Book on line at www.ticketmaster.co.uk or call 0844 847 1628 (24 hours), or in person at Ticketmaster ticket centres. For group bookings please contact 0844 844 2121. Tickets are also available in person at the Manchester Velodrome Reception.

 

EVENT PARTNERS

The National Track Championships 2007 are supported by the Manchester Evening News and Manchester City Council.

KEY NATIONAL RECORDS

Men
1km Kilo: Chris Hoy, 58.880s

4000m Individual Pursuit: Chris Boardman, 4m 11.114s
750m Team Sprint: Chris Hoy/Craig MacLean/ Ross Edgar, 43.830s
4km Team Pursuit: Paul Manning/Geraint Thomas/Ed Clancy/Bradley Wiggins, 3m 57.468s
200m Flying Start (Sprint qualification time trial): Craig MacLean, 9.939s

Women
500m Time Trial: Victoria Pendleton, 34.614sec
3000m Individual Pursuit: Rebecca Romero, 3m 31.394s
200m Flying Start (Sprint qualification time trial): Victoria Pendleton, 11.037s

SCHEDULE

TUESDAY 2 OCTOBER - Evening Session Begins 19.00
Women's 500m Time Trial
Men's 1000m Time Trial

WEDNESDAY 3 OCTOBER - Morning Session Begins 10.30
Men's Sprint Qualification and Early Rounds
Women's Scratch Race Qualification
Men's Points Race Qualification

WEDNESDAY 3 OCTOBER - Evening Session Begins 19.00
Men's Sprint Quarter Finals & Minor finals
Women's Scratch Race Final
Men's Points Race Final

THURSDAY 4 OCTOBER - Morning Session Begins 11.30
Women's Sprint Qualification and Early Rounds
Men's Sprint Semi Finals
Men's Scratch Race Qualification

THURSDAY 4 OCTOBER - Evening Session Begins 18.30
Women's Sprint Quarter Finals & Minor finals
Men's Sprint Final
Disability Individual Pursuit
Women Points Race Final
Men's Scratch Race Final

FRIDAY 5 OCTOBER - Afternoon Session Begins 12.00
Women's Sprint Semi Finals
Men's Individual Pursuit Qualification
Team Sprint Qualification

FRIDAY 5 OCTOBER - Evening Session Begins 19.00
Women's Sprint Final
Team Sprint 2nd Round & Finals
Disability 200m Time Trial
Men's Individual Pursuit Finals

SATURDAY 6 OCTOBER - Morning Session Begins 10.00
Men's Keirin 1st Round & Repechage
Women's Individual Pursuit Qualification
Women's Keirin 1st Round & Repechage
Team Individual Pursuit Qualification

SATURDAY 6 OCTOBER - Afternoon Session Begins 14.00
Men's Keirin Semi Finals & Final
Women's Individual Pursuit Finals
Women's Keirin Semi Finals & Final
Disability Time Trial
Team Individual Pursuit Finals

 

A GUIDE TO TRACK RACING

For a detailed look at Track racing, including a guide to the various races, including Keirin and Madison, have a look at our on-line guide to
Track Racing