There have been some superb rides by Southland riders overnight on Saturday on the penultimate day of the UCI Junior World Track Cycling championships in Italy.
Former Southland rider Ellesse Andrews won the junior women’s individual pursuit, upsetting the local Italian favourite and setting a world record in the process, with teammate Nicole Shields fourth.
Southland’s Corbin Strong also had to settle for a share of fourth place in the men’s omnium competition.
Ellesse set her mark with a brilliant performance in the morning qualifying where her 2:18.080 was more than four seconds inside the previous world record set recently on the same track at the European Championships.
It qualified Andrews for the gold medal ride against Italian star Letizia Paternoster, who won the omnium yesterday. The Kiwi took advantage of her speed to open a one second advantage through the first kilometre and while the Italian pushed hard, Andrews held her off to win in 2:19.038 with Paternoster half a second behind.
Earlier Shields, who qualified fourth fastest in a personal best 2:23.048, had to settle for fourth when she was edged by Elena Pirrone (ITA) for the bronze medal ride.
Corbin was third in the scratch race and second in the tempo race. However his early departure in the elimination race proved a setback.
He was well marked in the final Points race as both Tsimoshyk and Australia’s Stephen Cuff managed the bonus points for lapping the field to overtake Strong for the minor medals behind Julius Johansen (Denmark) who was the standout rider.
The Championships finish overnight with Emily Shearman and Nicole Shields in the women’s Madison and Corbin Strong and Aaron Wylie in the men’s Madison.