Rendell Wins Junior World Championship

WAIS cyclist Alex Rendell has helped Australia continue its incredible record of winning gold in the men’s team pursuit at Junior World Championship level.

Rendell, competing with Australian teammates Rohan Wight (SA), Kelland O’Brien (VIC), James Robinson (TAS) and James Tickner (VIC) claimed the team pursuit world crown in Astana, Kazakhstan in Australia’s sixth straight win in the event and ninth in the last decade.

Having qualified fastest on Wednesday, Australia (4:07.909) successfully booked a spot in the ride for gold defeating Poland (4:09.217) in the first round.

Australia faced Switzerland in the gold medal ride, covering the 16-lap, 4000m event in a time of 4 minutes 5.555 seconds to comfortable account for their rivals (4:11.370).

“It’s the best feeling I’ve ever had riding a bike,” exclaimed Tasmania’s Robinson, a member of the Australian team in 2014 and reserve for the team pursuit. “We have dedicated ourselves for this moment and to finally cross that line and become world champions is something I’ll never forget.

“The boys rode superbly in every round, our coach Matthew Gilmore drew up the game plans and we stuck with them 100%, we had faith in one another and knew what we could produce and we achieved what we had set out to do.”

Triple national champion Rohan Wight was ecstatic to have won the world title while on debut.

“It was an incredible feeling, getting to pull on a rainbow jersey alongside your teammates,” said Adelaide’s Wight.

“I was really happy with how myself and all the guys lifted today, especially in the final, it all came together and I’m really stoked!”

Russia finished with bronze ahead of Germany.

Rendell was unable to make it a repeat dose of rainbow jerseys after he missed the medals in the men’s points race.

Tahlay Christie was also making her junior world cycling debut, with the WAIS youngster competitive in the women’s sprint and keirin. The multiple Australian junior track champion won through to the quarter finals of the sprint, before being knocked out by a Dutch opponent, and she was marginally short of qualifying for the final of the keirin, having won her opening heat.

Australia finished second on the medal tally, with four gold, five silver and three bronze.

-with CyclingAus