Stewart, Sexton team up for gold

WELLINGTON: Campbell Stewart and Tom Sexton produced a performance that belied their years to snatch victory in the men’s Madison on the final night of the latest UCI track cycling World Cup in Hong Kong on Sunday.

The New Zealand pair (both 20) produced a withering final sprint to claim the double points to overtake Australia and secure the gold medal.

Stewart partnered with Aaron Gate to win the Madison in equally outstanding fashion at the World Cup in Cambridge last week.

Sexton came into the team to pair up with Stewart in Hong Kong to allow Gate to compete in the New Zealand Cycle Classic around the roads of Waipa.

Stewart and Sexton, former silver medallists at the junior world championships, scored points on eight of the 12 sprints in the gruelling 30km race, in which points are scored every 10 laps.

Australia pushed to the lead in the competition as the only team to lap the field to gain the 20 bonus points. But the New Zealanders rallied with some typically aggressive riding and outstanding teamwork to score points in the last four sprints, including the double points final dash which earned victory.

They finished with 33 points, four ahead of Australia, and France was third.

Racquel Sheath finished 12th overall in the fourevent omnium, won by multiworld champion Kirsten Wild (Netherlands). Sheath placed 13th in the scratch race, 16th in the tempo race, ninth in the elimination and a strong fourth placing in the final points race.

Earlier Zac Williams (10.166sec) and Bradly Knipe (10.194sec) qualified 24th and 25th respectively in the men’s sprint, both beaten in the first round of match racing.

Olivia Podmore won her repechage to move into the semifinals of the women’s keirin, where she was narrowly edged out of the last spot for the final. She went on to finish eighth. Hong Kong star Lee Waisze added the keirin title to her sprint win.

Jesse Hodges was 15th in a strong women’s scratch race won by junior world champion Martina Fidanza (Italy).

Cycling New Zealand will next week finalise the team for the world championships in Poland. — RNZ