22 Feb 2013

Silver medal for NZ sprint cycle team

1:54 pm on 22 February 2013

The New Zealand men's sprint team has been pipped by Germany for gold at the World Track Cycling Championships in Belarus.

Ethan Mitchell, Sam Webster and Eddie Dawkins were in front with a couple of hundred metres to go before the experienced German team powered home to pip them by less than half a second.

New Zealand sprint coach Justin Grace says spirits were high after setting the fastest qualifying time, but they knew that wouldn't be enough.

Grace says they're disappointed not to be world champions but they are happy that they've beaten sprint powerhouses France and Australia, who battled for the bronze.

New Zealander Simon van Velthooven won a silver medal in the kilo time trial on Thursday.