Cycling: Top-rated sprinter disqualified in final

New Zealand's top-ranked sprinter was disqualified from the final of the men's elite sprint at the national track cycling championships in Wanganui last night.

In the second ride in the final, Otago's Nathan Seddon, the only sprinter to have achieved the Commonwealth Games qualifying standard, was disqualified for twice taking the line of Auckland's Justin Grace.

This gave the title to Grace, who had already won the first ride against Seddon.

"I went to come down the track, and I guess I haven't got eyes in the back of my head and didn't realise he had got up so close behind me," Seddon said.

His focus is now on the Games, in Melbourne in March, although he is keen to help Otago defend the team sprint title later this week.

"I was happy to make the final, but really I am trying to peak for March 16," Seddon said.

"I'm just using this week as a bit of a practice."

Grace, 35, was excited with his victory, which came on the same day as his wife Erika's birthday.

It was Grace's ninth national title.

"I have just opened a new bike shop and had flyers printed up saying eight national titles, so I'm going to have to change them."

Waikato rider Peter Murray, top qualifier in the sprint with a time of 10.77s, kept his hand up for selection in a mooted four-man sprint team for the Games but producing a strong showing in his semifinal against Seddon.

Murray won the first ride after powering away from the start, while Seddon was tactically better in the second and third.

Mid-South Canterbury's Hayden Roulston made an impressive comeback to the track by winning the men's elite 4000m individual pursuit.

The top qualifier, he beat his Mid-South Canterbury teammate Marc Ryan in the final.

- NZPA