Cyclists impress at Beijing World Cup

A young New Zealand cycling team have grabbed two medals and a fourth placing at the track World Cup round at Beijing.

The combination of Hayden Godfrey, Shane Archbold, Myron Simpson and Aaron Gate claimed the team pursuit bronze medal in an outstanding performance for the development squad.

Godfrey (Christchurch), the 2008 world omnium champion, followed with a silver medal in the men's scratch race over 15kms, while Invercargill's Eddie Dawkins was just pipped for a medal in the men's kilo, finishing fourth.

The team pursuiters were the third fastest qualifier in the morning in four minutes, 10.025 seconds behind Australia and Netherlands and ahead of Ukraine who they faced in the bronze medal rider-off last night.

The New Zealanders upped their effort in the medal ride-off to clock an outstanding 4min 05.278sec in a controlled performance which delighted BikeNZ head coach Tim Carswell.

"The development boys have put in some great work over the least eight months and they really wanted the medal tonight," Carswell said.

"Their performance is ahead of what our Olympic riders achieved at the same age which is exciting for the track programme going forward. To be going 4:05 is a very good effort."

Australia dominated Netherlands to win the gold.

Godfrey recovered from his pursuit final to produce a strong effort to win silver in the 15km scratch race.

The Canterbury rider was just edged by Canada's Zachery Bell in the final sprint for the gold.

Dawkins finished 8/100ths of a second outside the podium in the men's kilo time trial, clocking a slick 1min 03.190sec to be fourth fastest in an impressive performance, while fellow sprinter Simon Van Velthooven (Palmerston North) finished ninth in the keirin, after he went out in the second round.

The final day of action sees Sam Webster and Eddie Dawkins in the sprint, Tom Scully and Myron Simpson in the Madison and the combination of Alison Shanks, Jaime Nielsen, Rushlee Buchanan and Lauren Ellis in the women's team pursuit.

- NZPA