Cycling: NZ track squad take French lessons over Greek gala

1.00pm - By CHRIS BARCLAY

The New Zealand track cycling team will bypass the glamour of the Olympic Games opening ceremony in order to train on a less cluttered velodrome in France.

Friday's opening ceremony may be a highlight for most athletes but the track squad - spearheaded by individual pursuit favourite Sarah Ulmer - will not arrive in Athens until August 16, four days before their programme starts.

Rather than jostle for position with up to six other nations during two hour practice sessions at the Olympic Velodrome, team manager Bryan Simmonds said it was decided to stay in BikeNZ's training base in Bordeaux.

"It was a concern missing the ceremony but it gives us more access to the track in Bordeaux.

"There'll only be a few French and Polish riders there so there's plenty of space," Simmonds told NZPA.

Ulmer, keirin rider Anthony Peden and the team pursuit squad of Marc Ryan, Hayden Godfrey, Matthew Randall, Peter Latham and Tim Gudsell have been in the south of France for a week to round off their preparations.

"It's nice and handy to the velodrome, the hotel has good food and it's only 5km to the country roads for outdoor training," Simmonds said.

Madison riders Greg Henderson and Hayden Roulston race near the end of the programme and will not arrive until the opening day of competition.

The men's road racers - minus Tour de France finisher Julian Dean arrive tomorrow but they will also sit out the opening ceremony because their event is the morning after.

The women's trio of Joanne Kiesanowski, Melissa Holt and Michelle Hyland are also unlikely to take part in the march past as their event is a day after the men's race.

Heath Blackgrove and Jeremy Yates, who recently signed with Dean's pro team Credit Agricole, have been competing in Belgium while Robin Reid has been in France with BikeNZ road coach Jacques Landry.

Dean, who finished road cycling's blue riband event in 127th position on July 25, has opted to remain in Spain where he will have one final training ride on Tuesday before flying to Greece.

By staying in his Spanish base Dean will miss out of the chance to familiarise himself with the route which winds through central Athens.

"There is a big training ride on the 10th but he's chosen to stay back," Simmonds said. "We've done a video of the course for him."

Dean has had one competitive race since the Tour de France ended last month - and finished down the field in the Hamburg Cup last Sunday.

Many of the Tour de France survivors backed up in Germany with "half flying and half not," Simmonds said.

Dean was in the latter category, crossing in 118th.

Roulston fared better in the Tour of Denmark - completing the six stage journey today in a creditable 15th place in the general classification.

He was two minutes 16 seconds down on Norwegian winner Kurt-Asle Arvesen and also finished sixth in the young rider category.

Roulston will now turn his attention to the track where he and Henderson - the 2003 World Championship silver medallists - are considered a chance to make the podium.

- NZPA