Sunderland Breaks One Minute Barrier

Australia has collected two gold and one bronze during the first two days of the final round of the 2013/14 UCI Track World Cup season in Guadalajara (Mexico) this weekend. 

An amazing performance from West Australia’s Scott Sunderland saw him become the first Australian to break the one-minute barrier in the men’s kilometre time trial. 

The 2012 London Olympic sprinter turned endurance rider eclipsed Shane Kelly’s 19-year-old Australian record of 1min 0.613secs set in Colombia, with his scorching time of 59.675secs.

The young Australian quartet of Tirian McManus (NSW), Joshua Harrison (SA), plus brothers Miles and Callum Scotson (SA) posted 4mins 02.944secs to qualify second fastest behind Switzerland (4:02.089) in the men’s 4000m team pursuit.

In the final, Scott Sunderland (WA) came in for Miles Scotson, with the Australian quartet trailing the Swiss team at each of the first three kilometre timechecks. 

With the Australia team’s average age under twenty years, they powered over the final four laps to post a a time of 4mins 01.494secs, five seconds ahead of a fading Swiss team (4:06.312).

Australia claimed two gold and one silver in the team pursuit over the three World Cup rounds to finish on top of the rankings ahead of Denmark and Great Britain.

In the women’s 4000m team pursuit, Bella King (WA), Georgia Baker (TAS), Rebecca Wiasak (ACT) & Elissa Wundersitz (WA) won the bronze after posting 4mins 30.668secs in the final against Poland (4:35.470). 

It was the third bronze medal for the Australian women in the three World Cup events, which was enough to secure second overall on the rankings behind Canada and ahead of the United States.

– Cycling Australia