Cycling: NZ duo win silver after record ride

Stephanie McKenzie (pictured) and Henrietta Mitchell won New Zealand's first medal at the junior cycling world championships. Photo / APN

Auckland pair Stephanie McKenzie and Henrietta Mitchell dipped under world record pace to win New Zealand's first medal on the track at the junior cycling world championships in Italy yesterday.

McKenzie and Mitchell won silver in the women's team sprint after breaking the world record in their qualifying ride at Montichiari Velodrome. They clocked 35.963s to better the world mark before the Russian combination went under that time by 8/10ths of a second.

The Russian pair went faster again in the medal rideoff, lowering the world record to 35.029s, but the New Zealanders also managed to go quicker, with their effort of 35.708s enough to pip Australia for the silver.

Earlier, McKenzie was seventh in the women's 500m time trial with Mitchell 12th in solid rides less than 1s off the winner Hyelin Lee, of Korea.

The boys' combination of Alex Frame, Will Bowman, both of Christchurch, Pieter Bulling, of Invercargill, and Brad Evans, of Dunedin, were edged out of a medal by Germany in the bronze rideoff in the 3000m team pursuit.

They were the third fastest in qualifying with a time of 4m 11.202s, behind Great Britain and Australia.

Auckland riders Alexandra Neems and Georgia Williams produced personal best times to finish eighth and 10th respectively in the 2000m individual pursuit. Neems finished in 2m 28.611s and Williams 2m 30.340s in an event won by Australian Amy Cure in a world record 2m 22.499s.

- NZPA