Disappointment for Team Canada on Day 2 of track cycling world championships
Bronze eludes men's and women's team pursuit quartets
After a fine beginning to the 2019 UCI track cycling world championships in PruszkĂ³w, Poland, on Wednesday, Team Canada experienced some disappointment on Thursday as medals eluded both team pursuit squads.
A day of fourths for our Team Pursuit squads ? #pruszkow2019 pic.twitter.com/tmLVRIZhm9
— Cycling Canada (@CyclingCanada) February 28, 2019
The day started with the first round of the men’s keirin. Team Canada had two fellows following the derny: Joel Archambault and Hugo Barrette, who latter of whom came second in the event in this year’s World Cup. Neither Archambault in Heat 3 nor Barrette in Heat 4 were in the top two placings, so they entered the repechage. But that was no route for the duo to advance either.
Lauriane Genest was Team Canada’s entrant in the women’s individual sprint. In the flying 200, she posted the 12th fastest time, which put her up against Tania Calvo Barbero of Spain in the 1/16 final. The Spaniard prevailed.
A perennial powerhouse, Canada’s women’s team pursuit squad was thrown up against Belgium in the first round after qualifying with the fifth fastest time on Wednesday. Allison Beveridge, Ariane Bonhomme, Annie Foreman-Mackey and Georgia Simmerling threw down the third fastest time of the round while beating the Belgians soundly. The bronze medal match would be against the Kiwis.
We're in! ? medal final for the women's Team Pursuit coming up this afternoon against our ?? friends!
Catch the action live on @flobikes pic.twitter.com/uFS2mMnRIS
— Cycling Canada (@CyclingCanada) February 28, 2019
New Zealand led the Canadians throughout the four-kilometres. It’s been three consecutive years without a world championships medal for the women’s team pursuit program after medals from 2012 to 2016.
Men’s team pursuit medal races were next. On Wednesday Canada had powered its way into the bronze medal match against Denmark. The outfit had earned two medals in this season’s World Cup, taking great strides over the last two years.
Battle for BRONZE ? underway between Canada ?? and Denmark ?? in the Men Team Pursuit #Pruszkow2019 pic.twitter.com/KKIx2iijhQ
— UCI Track Cycling (@UCI_Track) February 28, 2019
It was tough going for Michael Foley, Derek Gee, Adam Jamieson and Jay Lamoureux, who found themselves three-seconds behind after two-kilometers. Denmark won by nearly five-seconds. In the gold medal match, Australia beat the Brits.
Friday sees Beveridge contest the omnium–she was World Cup runner-up this season.