Cycling: Kiwis just have to turn up to take gold

New Zealand won the 4000m team pursuit gold medal in farcical circumstances at the Oceania cycling championships yesterday in Wanganui when they were the only team to turn up.

With Australia failing to field a team, the New Zealand foursome of Tim Gudsell, Marc Ryan, Jason Allen and Peter Latham had to seek motivation in gunning for the New Zealand residents record, which they duly beat, clocking 4m 16.25s. The previous mark was 4m 17s.

The quartet, who were racing as a combination for the first time since finishing fourth in the world championships in Los Angeles at the beginning of the year, were too slow in the first kilometre, coach Terry Gyde said.

"The first kilo was like three seconds too slow but they came home really, really well. It is a problem we've had in the last year and we've got to smarten up in the first kilometre."

The quartet head for a World Cup event in Manchester, England, today where they will come up against Britain, who won the world title in Los Angeles.

In the women's 500m time trial, New Zealand's Liz Williams finished third in 36.484s, short of the Commonwealth Games qualifying mark of 36s.

The time trial was won by Australian Olympics gold medallist, Anna Meares in 35.670s, with sister Kerrie second in 36.930s.

- NZPA