Manchester played host to the final World Cup event of the track season and with the World Championships in Apeldoorn only a month away, this one meant business.
The opening day of the World Cup was an all out battle between Great Britain and Australia, with Kevin Sireau of France the only one from neither nation to take gold. Australia claimed both the men’s pursuit and women’s team sprint. Anna Meares continued her great season by taking gold with Kaarle McCoulloch, by three tenths over China. Star of the European Championships Sandie Clair had to settle for bronze, when she and Clara Sanchez beat Great Britain.
In the men’s individual pursuit Rohan Dennis beat British Road Champion by nearly half a second to take gold. Dennis won Gold in last year’s team pursuit at the World Championship, but this year he will be looking for the individual. Great Britain took their first gold in the women’s team pursuit and almost smashed the record in the process.
The grouping of Wendy Houvenaghel, Joanna Rowsell and Sarah Storey were only 0.188 of the record set by the United States in May 2010. Making it even more impressive is Storey won gold in the individual pursuit in the 2008 Paralympic Games. New Zealand had to settle for second at over one second down on the British time.
Rounding off the night was the big crowd pleaser, the men’s individual sprint where Sireau broke the Aussie/British stranglehold on the evening. Jason Kenny claimed gold after beating, his competition in the British camp, Chris Hoy in the semi final. Hoy easily took bronze in two races, ahead of Germany’s Max Levy.
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