5 Mar 2018

Cyclists 'mixed bag' won't derail Comm Games

11:28 am on 5 March 2018

The New Zealand track cycling team is confident a disappointing world championship won't derail their Commonwealth Games campaign.

New Zealand won just one medal at the just complete world champs in the Netherlands with Rushlee Buchanan finishing third in the women's omnium.

It was the first time in six years that the men's team sprint missed out on a medal.

Cycling New Zealand high performance director, Martin Barras said the team will quickly review its performances before re-setting their sights.

Women's Omnium Podium - Amalie Diderkisen of Denmark, Kirsten Wild of The Netherlands and Rushlee Buchanan of New Zealand.

Women's Omnium Podium - Amalie Diderkisen of Denmark, Kirsten Wild of The Netherlands and Rushlee Buchanan of New Zealand. Photo: Photosport

He conceded the chapionships were "a mixed bag....(we) had a reality check in our mainstay events of the team pursuit and men's team sprint."

Barras said the next few weeks will be important.

"For us this championship is the start of our campaign towards Tokyo 2020 and the first steps we take to improve ourselves will be critical.

"The Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast now awaits us where we will have the opportunity to show we are moving in the right direction."

The sprint coach Anthony Peden believes the men's team sprint result was a matter of execution rather than form.

"We were prepared. There were a couple of technical things in each of the individual rides and they got magnified. It only takes a minute thing," said Peden.

New Zealand's Eddie Dawkins competes in the men's sprint quarterfinals against Jack Carlin of Great Britain.

New Zealand's Eddie Dawkins competes in the men's sprint quarterfinals against Jack Carlin of Great Britain. Photo: Photosport

"I do not think it was anything to do with their form. We came here well prepared to defend our world title and the boys had full belief."