Mitchell’s history-making ride at world champs
New Zealand cyclist Ethan Mitchell created history while Aaron Gate went within a whisker of a second rainbow jersey on the penultimate day of the world track cycling championships in Hong Kong.
Mitchell, part of the world championship winning men’s team sprint, became the first New Zealander to win an individual sprint medal, claiming the bronze against Great Britain’s Ryan Owens.
It brought the New Zealand tally to five medals, to equal the best achieved in Melbourne in 2012, Cali in 2014 and Paris in 2015, with one day remaining.
Gate, the 2013 omnium world champion, was just two points off what would have been a remarkable victory, settling for a silver medal in the new format omnium competition.
Mitchell has been largely a specialist starter in the men’s team pursuit triumvirate, with teammates Eddie Dawkins and Sam Webster shouldering most of the individual sprint success.
Coach Anthony Peden has worked closely with Mitchell over the last 18 months to develop his one-lap speed and his sprinting ability, which finally blossomed when he was second in qualifying at the final World Cup in Los Angeles.
After finishing fourth fastest in a personal best in qualifying, Mitchell pushed into the quarterfinals after accounting for Australian rival Matthew Glaetzer in a deciding third ride.
With all three Kiwi riders into the final eight there were high hopes, which were dashed when overwhelming favourite Denis Dmitriv of Russia beat Webster and Dutchman Harrie Lavreysen beat Dawkins, both in two straight rides.
Mitchell also found Dmitriv a bridge to far in the semifinals, with the Russian going on to win his first world crown after many years of trying. But the Kiwi regrouped to dominate Owens in two straight rides.
‘‘I’m pretty new to the whole sprinting thing. I am fortunate to have mentors like Sam and Eddie, Anthony and the coaching staff to pave the way really.’’
Gate, 26, came to the omnium competition off the back of mostly road racing in Europe for his new professional Aqua Blue Sport team, managing just five track sessions before the world championships.
He had success with the new format, with the timed events removed and now decided over four bunch races in one day, with victory at the Oceania Championships.
Gate was sixth in the scratch race and then won the tempo race, after putting two laps on the field and winning the last three sprints. That good work was undone when he managed only 10th in the elimination race. However Gate produced a stunning effort in the 40km points race, winning that competition after putting two laps on the field.
It came down to the final sprint on the last lap when he was pipped by Benjamin Thomas for third which gave the Frenchman to overall title by just two points.
‘‘I was keen to give it a nudge and race as hard and honestly as I could. That was good enough for silver on the day but gold would have been nice. Hopefully I can come back in the future and get the rainbows again,’’ Gate said.
In other action Jaime Nielsen finished sixth in the women’s individual pursuit in 3:31.653, with Kirstie James 14th in 3:36.250. Sprinter Natasha Hansen finished 12th in the 500m time trial in 34.375.
The pairing of Racquel Sheath and Michaela Drummond finished powerfully to place fourth in the women’s Madison.