Canadian women’s team pursuit squad wins bronze at New Zealand World Cup
Canadian men fourth fastest in qualifying
Day One of the UCI track cycling World Cup’s fourth round in Cambridge, New Zealand got off to a grand start for Team Canada as the women team pursuit squad took bronze on Friday. The men’s outfit qualified fourth fastest but couldn’t advance beyond the first round.
It was the first time the women’s squad contested a World Cup this season. Jasmin Duehring, Allison Beveridge, Georgia Simmerling and Annie Foreman-Mackey qualified for the first round with the third fastest time and then met the second fastest qualifier, Australia, in the first round.
The ?? women’s Team Pursuit squad qualifies third with a time of 4:17.548, while the men’s team qualifies fourth with a time of 3:54.990!
Next up ⏱ Round 1#tissotucitrackwc pic.twitter.com/nXv85tYoQv
— Cycling Canada (@CyclingCanada) December 5, 2019
The first round contest saw the Aussies and Canadians exchange the lead before Australia surged to the win. But Canada’s time of 4:16.769 meant that it would meet New Zealand trade team Subway for the bronze medal. After a recess, the Canuck foursome beat the Subway quartet. However, the home crowd would get its thrill: the national Kiwi team beat the Aussies for the gold.
First time racing together and they’ve already podiumed, earning ? in the Team Pursuit.
Big things coming for this squad! pic.twitter.com/IU4rAXKNgX
— Cycling Canada (@CyclingCanada) December 6, 2019
The well-drilled Canadian men–Derek Gee, Jay Lamoureux, Vincent de Haitre and Michael Foley–roared around the boards in qualifying to the tune of 3:54.990, the fourth fastest time. Like the Canadian women, the men faced Australia in the first round. Unfortunately, Team Canada couldn’t overtake the Aussies and was squeezed out of the bronze medal match by Italy. Canada settled for fifth while the Swiss claimed the gold.
Saturday sees Kelsey Mitchell, bronze medalist in Hong Kong last week, along with Lauriane Genest, compete in the individual sprint. Hugo Barrette and Joel Archambault have a date with the derney in the keirin and Michael Foley faces the omnium.
