Accelerating hard off the start line and never looking back, New Zealand’s Men’s Team Sprint track cyclists have powered their way to their third World Championships, in Hong Kong.
In doing so, Eddie Dawkins, Ethan Mitchell and Sam Webster became the first Kiwi track cyclists to win consecutive gold medals at world championships.
Back riding their Southern Spars wheels, which were developed last year in the build up to the Rio Olympics, the team surged ahead of their rivals, the Netherlands, and powered ahead to win by 0.3 seconds.
The Southern Spars wheels, hidden by the team specifically for this event, give an advantage in acceleration to the Kiwi track cyclists due to their weight and stiffness – both of which are superior to that of other manufacturers.
Mitchell, who set a world record for the fastest opening lap ever ridden at sea-level in Rio, again was the fastest at this event, with a time of 17.2 seconds.
The NZ Cycling Team, and the wheels, will be back in action again tonight with the Team Pursuit riders hoping the advanced aerodynamics of the wheels will help give them an edge over the longer distance of 4000 metres.
