NZ team sprinters bomb out

For the first time in seven years, New Zealand won’t win a medal in the team sprint at the world track cycling championships.

Having won three gold medals between 2014 and 2017, and also claimed two silver medals and a bronze going back to 2012, New Zealand’s team sprint trio were one of the world’s most consistent.

But in Apeldoorn in 2018, the trio of Ethan Mitchell, Sam Webster and Eddie Dawkins failed to make it to the medal rides while producing a pair of surprisingly sluggish performances.

In qualifying, the Kiwis could only manage fifth fastest with a time of 43.736 seconds, nearly a second back from leaders from the Netherlands. They went slower again in their first round heat, soundly beaten by Great Britain as they crossed the line in 44.146s.

While the men couldn’t deliver, Natasha Hansen and Emma Cumming delivered a surprise performance to finish fifth in the women’s team sprint.

Having qualified in seventh spot for the women’s team sprint in 33.666s, the team went faster in their first round match-up with Russia, but in finishing in 33.453s they remained outside the medal rides with the fifth fastest time.

Things didn’t get any better for the men as the New Zealand team pursuit were bundled out.

The team of Nick Kergozou, Campbell Stewart, Regan Gough and Dylan Kennett were fifth in the first round, meaning they missed out on the chance to race for a medal this morning.