Cycling: Ulmer poised for gold

9.00am

ATHENS - Sarah Ulmer, track cycling's individual pursuit queen-in-waiting, was the ultimate quiet achiever after raising the roof at the Olympic Velodrome.

As a boisterous, sweat-soaked crowd saw the world and Commonwealth champion today register the two fastest times in the 40-year history of women's 3000m pursuit cycling, the supremely focused Aucklander barely raised a smile, never mind an arm, in triumph.

The celebrations could wait, and so could her explanation for a stunning Olympic and world record-smashing ride that has her the warmest of favourites to top the podium tomorrow.

Triple Olympian Ulmer would not entertain any talk of a cast iron gold, shunning media attention as she meticulously warmed down and then underwent a drugs test after recording staggering times of 3minutes 26.400seconds and 3min 27.444sec for the 3000m endurance test.

She promises to be more effusive tomorrow if she again pushes Australian mate Katie Mactier into the role of bridesmaid at a major competition this year.

Ulmer and Mactier duelled for gold at the May World Championships in Melbourne and go head to head again to inherit the pursuit crown from retirement-bound Dutch legend Leontien Ziljaard-Van Moorsel.

Ziljaard-Van Moorsel will ride for the bronze medal against Australian Katherine Bates despite recording two personal best times -- times that would have maintained her as Olympic record holder had Ulmer and Mactier been otherwise engaged.

Mactier set the early pace as records evaporated in a sweltering 33degC sweatbox.

Helped by a conditions tailor-made for a fast track, the Melburnian became the first woman to ride under three minutes 30 seconds in a pursuit when timing 3min 29.945sec as she held off Zijlaard-Van Moorsel's withering finish.

Ulmer sat calmly trackside as Mactier acknowledged the plaudits -- and swiftly retaliated with her blistering 3min 26.400sec effort -- bettering the 3min 30.604 she set in a chilly Melbourne by more than 4sec.

While Ulmer was reluctant to describe her monumental achievement, Mactier, who progressed to the gold medal ride by backing up with a slick 3min 28.095sec was happy to describe the challenge confronting her.

"I thought I better put my hand up now and celebrate it because I would have been surprised if Sarah had not gone out there and equalled or bettered it," Mactier said of her five minutes as world and Olympic record holder.

"At least I can say I'm the first person to go under 3.30. She hasn't just taken a bit off it, she's smashed it.

"She's lifted the bar."

Ulmer may yet have a faster race in her as she had to slow down slightly when setting the new record as she caught up with Olga Slyusareva in the shadow of the line.

Russia's road race bronze medallist was drawn against Ulmer in the first round -- where the top eight battled for the medal rides -- and was again powerless as the New Zealander caught her inside the distance.

"She had to slow down twice so she could go quicker," team manager Bryan Simmonds said.

"It was not totally unexpected," he said of her record-breaking exploits.

"If the track was going to be fast it was on."

New Zealand's head track coach Kurt Innes was also ready for a special occasion.

"Sarah has been able to do some special things in training and we knew it was coming.

"She's had everything going like clockwork the last couple of weeks and unofficially has done 3.27 and 3.28s in training."

- NZPA