Day four of the 2012 UCI World Track Cycling Championships in Melbourne is set to be an exciting one, with a number of Australians in medal contention. We’ll have live updates and a blog of the afternoon session from 1.00pm AEST.
Last night Melbourne’s Hisense Arena was the scene of a dramatic women’s sprint semifinal between Anna Meares and Great Britain’s Victoria Pendleton.
Meares was denied ultimate finals success after being disqualified in the second round of the best-of-three semi and falling a tyre-length short in the third.
She went on to win the bronze medal, whilst Pendleton took gold in contentious circumstances – Lithuanian Simona Krupeckaite was disqualified for dangerous riding in the gold medal round.
Later, Aussie sprinter Shane Perkins found himself on the right side of a disqualification and progressed to the men’s sprint semifinals, as Frenchman Mikael Bourgain was penalised for impeding Perkins’ line.
Today’s schedule includes the men’s individual pursuit, the women’s keirin, the men’s points race final and three women’s omnium events – the individual pursuit, scratch race and time trial.
The men’s individual pursuit features Australians Rohan Dennis, Jack Bobridge and Michael Hepburn. In a cruel twist of fate Bobridge and Hepburn have been pitted against one another in heat eleven of qualifying.
The keirin is one of cycling’s most universally enjoyed events, with a group of cyclists racing each other from a mass-starting position. Team sprint partners Meares and Kaarle McCulloch are Australia’s representatives in a competitive field.
Also a star on the road, West Australian Cameron Meyer is sure to go close in the final of the men’s points race, the last event on the schedule.
After what promises to be a nail-biting time trial, the women’s omnium will draw to a close. South Australian Annette Edmondson is still in the mix after a fast performance in the flying lap yesterday.
The home crowd is hungry to see Aussie podium finishes, a motivator sure to spur on those wearing the tight green and gold. It promises to be another captivating afternoon of racing, and we’ll bring you live updates and comments of the action as it unfolds throughout the day from around 1.00pm AEST.
Kit Harvey
Guest
That event concludes the afternoon session of day four of the 2012 UCI World Track World Championships. Looking forward to another big night of competition tonight! Go the Aussie! Go for GOLD.
Kit Harvey
Guest
The qualifiers for the second round of the women's keirin repechage: E Gnidenko (RUS), V Pendleton (GBR), S Krupeckaite (LTU) and O Tsos (UKR).
Kit Harvey
Guest
Tsos (UKR) qualifies for the second round of the women's keirin in the last heat of the repechage. What a contest! What an afternoon of track cycling!
Kit Harvey
Guest
The final heat of the women's keirin repechage now: L Guerra Rodriguez (CUB), N Hansen (NZL), O Tsos (UKR) and D Larreal (VEN).
Kit Harvey
Guest
Krupeckaite, after a bit of a scare from a breakaway Lohvinava, comes home with dominance and will go through to the second round of the women's keirin.
Kit Harvey
Guest
Heat three: M Lohvinava (BLR), M Welte (GER), S Krupeckaite (LTU) and W Kanis (NED).
Kit Harvey
Guest
Victoria Pendleton through to the second round after winning heat number two! What a race!
Kit Harvey
Guest
Heat two: V Pendleton (GBR), M Sullivan (CAN) and V Baranova (RUS).
Kit Harvey
Guest
Gnidenko (RUS) takes out heat one of the women's keirin repechage!! She'll be back for more tonight!
Kit Harvey
Guest
Now it's time for four heats of the women's keirin repechage, with the first competitor over the line in each heat qualifying for the second round of the event to be held tonight. First heat: W Lee (HKG), K Schofield (NZL) and E Gnidenko (RUS).
Kit Harvey
Guest
Trott record the third fastest time for 3 points (3:31.789) and Edmondson the fourth fastest for 4 points (3:32.454). Tara Whitten (CAN) wins the individual pursuit in the women's omnium, with Sarah Hammer (USA) in second place. With that result Trott takes over as the sole leader of the women's omnium with two events remaining. Trott (GBR) has 14 points and Edmondson (AUS) 15. Whitten (CAN) sits in 3rd place with 22 points.
Kit Harvey
Guest
New fastest time for Tara Whitten (CAN) - 3:30.011, Sarah Hammer second fastest - 3:31.651. What a race! Annette Edmondson (AUS) now. Can she beat the Canadian? She's up against Laura Trott. These are the two equal leaders of the women's omnium at this stage!
Kit Harvey
Guest
What an evenly matched contest in heat eleven! The lead toing and froing!
Kit Harvey
Guest
Hammer best split at 1000m so far, Whitten second best split. Bit of a rivalry between these two!
Kit Harvey
Guest
New fastest time as predicted! E Romanyuta (RUS) going 3:36.049. Now it's S Hammer (USA) - the current individual pursuit world record holder - and T Whitten (CAN) in heat eleven.
Kit Harvey
Guest
Romanyuta (RUS) has started very quickly indeed, with the fastest time after 2000m so far this afternoon. Looking good for a new best time.
Kit Harvey
Guest
Brennauer finished with only the fifth fastest time, after setting the fastest time after 1000m.
Kit Harvey
Guest
A fast start for Brennauer appears to have cost her. She is struggling now with two laps to go.
Kit Harvey
Guest
Four heats to go now and the times are expected to get faster and faster, with Aussie Annette Edmondson (equal first in the omnium) set to ride in the final heat. Heat nine is on the velodrome now: L Brennauer (BEL) and K Kiesanowski (NZL).
Kit Harvey
Guest
Sharakova sets the new fastest time, slotting into the number one ranking with 3:37.528. Huang also rode well and ranks third of 15 in a time of 3:38.894 after finishing third in the women's omnium: flying lap yesterday.