Triple Crankset: On Tap...

Friday, March 28, 2008

On Tap...

With the fireworks of the northern Spring Classics set to go off next weekend, our attention turns to the track and the domestic scene.

The 2008 World Track Championships started this past Wednesday at the British National Cycling Centre in Manchester, England. With the velodrome boards recently overhauled [yes, I'm one of the few who actually owns a piece of the old pines] and with the Olympics merely a scant 4 months away, this championship promised to be a fast a furious one.

After two days of competition, cheery old England has certainly had plenty to cheer about. Bradley Wiggins (GBR), the reigning World and Olympic Pursuit champion, once again dominated the field in the individual event on Day 1, while heading up the Gold medal winning effort in the team pursuit the following day.

Victoria Pendleton and Shanaze Reade (GBR) added to the hometown gold rush by defending their World Team Sprint championship.

But perhaps the most amazing result for the home nation had to be Rebecca Romero's victory in the Individual Pursuit. It bears repeating [except for those in the US Cycling camp], but Romero really did hammer defending champion Sarah Hammer (USA) in the finals. If you haven't yet read about the former champion rower turned cyclist, her story is a startling example of finding or "falling into what you were truly meant to do."

Other Results:
Men's Scratch - Aliaksandr Lisouki (Belarus) - Gold; Wim Stroetinga (Netherlands) - Silver; Roger Kluge (Germany) - Bronze.

Men's Team Sprint - France - Gold; Great Britain - Silver; Netherlands - Bronze.

Women's 500km Time Trial - Lisandra Guerra Rodriguez (Cuba) - Gold; Simona Krupeckaite (Lithuania) - Silver; Sandie Clair (France) - Bronze.

As an aside, a happy belated birthday to US Cycling legend Rebecca Twigg, who once dominated the Individual Pursuit taking away 6 World Championships. Twigg turned 45 this past Wednesday the 26th.