Cycling: Time for cyclists to show abilities

Cyclists with an eye on the Athens Olympic Games need to show their credentials at the national track championships starting at Manukau today.

For the senior riders this is the final chance to impress the selectors and win selection in the World Cup track squad, from which the team for the world championships in Melbourne in May and the Olympic Games will be selected.

The junior, or under 19 riders, have the junior world track championships, in Los Angeles at the end of July, as their big incentive.

The form of Commonwealth Games medallist Sarah Ulmer will attract interest. She is due to line up in the individual pursuit, scratch and points races.

Otago's Katri Laike will be aiming for a hat-trick of gold medals in the woman's kierin, sprint and 500m time trial.

The men's sprint events, the kierin and sprint, are likely to be decided between Wellington's Anthony Peden, the Auckland duo of Justin Grace and Neil Campbell, the Otago pairing of Nathan Seddon and Daniel Beatson and Wanganui's Jono Hamlin.

The men's sprint starts on Wednesday morning, continues on Thursday morning with the final on Thursday evening. The kierin is conducted on Friday and Saturday.

The highlight of today's opening programme is the men's kilo time trial where Grace, Campbell and Canterbury's Hayden Godfrey and Dave Cresswell will square off.

Godfrey is the favourite for the men's individual pursuit to be held through both sessions tomorrow and with the final on Wednesday night.

The 40km madison wraps up the championship on Saturday night.


Highlights

Monday 6pm: Senior men's kilo time trial (Hayden Godfrey, Justin Grace, Dave Cresswell, Neil Campbell).

Tuesday 9.30am: Pursuit qualifying (Sarah Ulmer, Hayden Godfrey).

Tuesday 6pm: Women's kierin heats (Katri Laike) Men's pursuit round 1 (Godfrey).

Wednesday 9.30am: Men's sprint qualifying (Anthony Peden, Justine Grace, Jono Hamlin, Neil Campbell).

Wednesday 6pm: Pursuit finals (Ulmer, Godfrey) Women's kierin final (Laike).

Thursday 9.30am: Men's sprint continues. Women's sprint qualifying (Laike).

Thursday 6pm: Men's sprint final. Women's 20km points race (Ulmer). Men's 30km points race.

Friday 9.30am: Men's team pursuit qualifying. Women's sprint semifinal (Laike).

Friday 6pm: Men's kierin heats (Peden, Grace, Hamlin, Campbell). Women's sprint final. Men's 15,000m scratch race

Saturday 6pm: Men's kierin final. Women's scratch race (Ulmer). Team sprint finals. Men's 40km madison.