Sprint team strikes gold

The New Zealand men’s sprint team shone brightly on Oscars night in Los Angeles.

Across town at the Velo Sports Center in Carson, Ethan Mitchell, Sam Webster and Eddie Dawkins delivered a composed ride to overpower Germany in the gold medal race at the fourth round of the UCI World Cup yesterday.

World champions New Zealand led throughout the final to power home in 43.710 secs and topple Germany, who were victorious in the last round in Cali, Colombia, earlier this month.

The New Zealand trio clocked 43.620 secs to be fastest in the second round and qualify for the final against Germany, who were only 0.3s slower in winning their clash. Poland captured the bronze.

The Kiwi men’s sprint sparked a nine- medal haul by the New Zealand team in LA, the most they have achieved in a single World Cup. They were awarded World Cup round winners for what is believed to be the first time.

New Zealand’s team won a further four medals yesterday.

Silver medals went to Racquel Sheath and Michaela Drummond in the women’s madison. Campbell Stewart [Palmerston North] and Tom Sexton [Invercargill] combined to capture bronze in the men’s madison, while Jaime Nielsen took out bronze in the women’s individual pursuit.

It proved a gruelling day for sprinter Webster, who combined two rounds of the team sprint with the keirin competition.

In between keirin rounds, he was mantwo in the strong morning ride of 43.620 in the first round of the team sprint, which earned them the gold medal ride with Germany.