New Zealand's burgeoning sprint cycling programme received a thumbs up after a record-breaking week at the Oceania Track Championships in Invercargill.
The 20-year-old Aucklander Sam Webster capped their performances with a breakthrough victory in the men's sprint, beating off the challenge from Commonwealth Games kilo champion Scott Sunderland of Australia in two straight rides in the final.
BikeNZ riders have won all of the sprint events this week, usually the domain of the Australians, and set new national records in the sprint, team sprint and 1000m time trial in the process.
National sprint coach Justin Grace says two years ago almost to the day they put in place some pretty lofty goals for this sprint programme and in terms of timing they're on track and in terms of performance they're way ahead of it.
Timaru's Shane Archbold won the six-discipline omnium.
New Zealand interest in the women's omnium faded when top rider Joanne Kiesanowski withdrew with illness after a disappointing individual pursuit, well below her best.
The New Zealand team to contest next weekend's UCI World Cup in Colombia will be named today.
