Cycling: Godfrey NZ's best hope

Defending omnium champion Hayden Godfrey holds the major hopes for New Zealand in today's final day of the world track cycling championships in Pruszkow, Poland.

Godfrey will defend the five-event title he won in Manchester last year, after impressing earlier in the meet in the scratch race.

New Zealand's hopes for yesterday ended when Auckland rookie Kaytee Boyd crashed heavily during the penultimate event in the women's omnium.

She showed her grit, passing a medical check and returning for the final event, the 500m time trial, where she finished 12th to take 14th overall.

A top-ranked mountain biker and road cyclist, Boyd moved to the women's track programme this summer, narrowly missing a ride in the team pursuit in Poland after being part of the winning effort in December's World Cup.

Instead she competed in the unfamiliar omnium, which comprises a 200m time trial, 5km scratch race, 2km pursuit, 10km points race and 500m time trial.

Boyd was 13th after the first three disciplines before she got squeezed when pushing through to the lead during the points race, her best chance.

She was 12th fastest in the 200m time trial, 11th in the 5km scratch race, seventh in the 2000m individual pursuit and 12th in the 500m time trial.

Her 21st placing at the world road championships last year has earned her a professional contract in Italy.

Earlier, Eddie Dawkins (Invercargill) and Simon Van Velthooven (Palmerston North) both failed to advance from the heats of the men's sprint.

They produced solid times up to their best but the quality of the competition meant that only 0.4s separated 10th qualifying place from 35th.

Ashburton rider Lauren Ellis will contest the 25km points race today.

- NZPA