18 Dec 2010

Pursuit gold medal for Shanks

5:42 pm on 18 December 2010

Otago rider Alison Shanks has won back to back gold medals at the track cycling World Cup in Colombia.

Shanks blitzed Great Britain's Wendy Houvenaghel by more than four seconds in the individual pursuit final to add that title to the team pursuit medal she picked up on the opening day.

It was a re-match of the Delhi Commonwealth Games final where Shanks picked up the gold medal.

21-year-old Timaru rider Shane Archbold finished eighth overall in the men's omnium, the six-discipline event which has been included in the 2012 Olympics for the first time.

World individual pursuit champion Sarah Hammer of the USA opted to ride the omnium in Cali, winning all three disciplines on the first day - the flying lap, points race and elimination.

Canterbury's Joanne Kiesanowski lies in eighth place after finishing 12th in the flying lap, 14th in the points race and fourth in the elimination.