Cycling: Kiwi rockets to world No 1

Four years ago Alison Shanks was introduced to cycling.

Now she stands as a world champion, something she is struggling to come to terms with.

Shanks, 26, claimed the gold medal in the 3000m individual pursuit with a storming finish on the opening session of finals at the world track cycling championships in Poland yesterday.

"It is quite surreal," she said.

"You come to a world championship with the aim of trying to win but to actually achieve it is unreal, absolutely surreal. It just has not sunk in yet."

The gutsy Dunedin rider produced a superbly crafted and determined performance to upset Beijing Olympic silver medallist Wendy Houvenaghel of Great Britain, coming from behind over the final kilometre to clock 3m 29.807s, breaking the 3m 30s barrier for the first time.

It is only the fifth gold medal won by a New Zealand cyclist at the world track championships, dating back nearly 40 years.

She follows Karen Holliday in 1990, Sarah Ulmer and Greg Henderson at Melbourne in 2004 and Hayden Godfrey in Manchester last year.

It is the third medal in the women's individual pursuit, with Madonna Harris claiming silver at Maebashi, Japan in 1990 to go with her Commonwealth Games points race gold and Ulmer's brilliant victory five years ago.

Shanks qualified second for the final with a time of 3m 31.063s. It was slower than Houvenaghel and left the New Zealander disappointed.

"I did not nail it at all in the morning. The first two kilometres felt okay but I fell away. I was really determined and focused to get it right tonight," she said.

Shanks fell behind her experienced rival early in the final, down by half a second at the 1000m mark.

Houvenaghel, a gold medallist in the team pursuit at last year's world championships, retained her advantage at the halfway point.

Shanks made her move late, taking the lead for the first time at the 1750m mark and then blitzing the British rider over the final kilometre to triumph by more than 2s.

"I absolutely nailed it tonight. I wanted to ride my own race in the first half and save something for the second half," she said.

Shanks achieved that, coming home in the last 1500m in a stunning 1m 42.837s.

"I don't know how but the legs just kept going. I got the signal with four laps to go that I was ahead but you just never know in this sport until you cross the line. I am absolutely thrilled.

"But I have to get grounded pretty quickly because we have the team pursuit tomorrow. This is a really good confidence booster for that."

Lithuania's Vilija Serekaite held off Great Britain's Joanna Rowsell to take out the bronze.

Today is a busy day for the New Zealand team, with Jesse Sergent of Feilding a strong chance in the men's individual pursuit. The women's team pursuit are in action while Simon Van Velthooven of Palmerston North contests the keirin and Godfrey of Christchurch the men's scratch race.

- NZPA