|
|
|
Last Updated: 2 Apr 2018 - 8:45:17 PM |
LLANERAS WINS POINTS TITLE; O'LOUGHLIN AGGRESSIVE BUT DNF
By Shane Stokes
2 Apr 2007,
|
Email this article
|
Spanish rider Joan Llaneras took his seventh track world title when he won the points race on Saturday, ending the 160 lap (40 km) event with a total of 76 points.
The Majorcan lapped the field three times during the race and also picked up a total of 16 points from the 16 different sprints in the event. Silver medallist Iljo Keisse (Belgium) netted 35 sprint points but only gained a single lap, and with each being worth 20 points, he ended up with a total of 55. Tinkoff road rider Mikhail Ignatiev returned to his track background, the Olympic champion securing bronze with 52.
Four months ago, Llaneras was contemplating retirement following the tragic death of his madison partner Isaac Galvez in the Gent six day on November 26th. The two were reigning world champions, having won the madison together in 1999 and 2006, and had been racing on and off as a pair for seven years. His victory was consequently a very emotional one and, given that it took place in front of his fellow Majorcans, one which was hugely appreciated by the crowd in Palma Arena.
Irishman David O�Loughlin rode well to qualify for the points race final at the world championships but his dream of a high placing in his debut season racing track evaporated when he withdrew in the final quarter of the race. The Mayo rider has ridden very well in recent months, particularly for someone so new to the velodrome, but a lack of experience at this level took its toll during the event, with O�Loughlin going into the red early on and then doing so again prior to being caught out by an number of accelerations in what was an extremely competitive final.
He started aggressively, going on the attack soon after the race got underway and trying to gain a lap on the other riders. Riding clear in a small group, O�Loughin was second in sprint two and third in sprint three, picking up a total of five points and sitting high up the leaderboard at that stage. However, this group was brought back and when other moves went soon afterwards, he appeared to be suffering.
O�Loughlin recovered as time passed, moving back up the field. Rather than playing things conservatively, he opted to go on the attack again. This earned him second place in sprint 11, but ultimately caused him to blow up and lose a lap. He withdrew soon afterwards.
His courage racing at this level is admirable. In retrospect, though, talk of a medal set too high a target for a first world track championships. A top ten placing out of the 22 starters would have been a very respectable result, and could well have been achieved. The rider who placed tenth, Oleksandr Polivoda (Ukraine) did this with five points.
O�Loughlin has the ability to chase results at world level and with careful planning, progressive target setting and patience, this can be achieved. Team manager Frank Campbell stated prior to the start of the championships that Cycling Ireland is looking to employ an experienced consultant in order to guide the track programme. Once this person comes on board things can move to the next stage, but given that Irish riders are competing against those from countries with decades of experience at this level, it is going to take time.
O�Loughlin�s sixth place finish in the World Cup series and qualification for two events (and one final) in the world championships is definitely a very important start. He has been competing in this area for just six months; more will be achieved as time progresses.
-----------
World track championships, Palma de Mallorca:
Points race final:
1, Joan Llaneras Rosello (Spain) 76 pts
2, Iljo Keisse (Belgium) 55
3, Mikhail Ignatiev (Russian Federation) 52
4, Cameron Meyer (Australia) 46
5, Milan Kadlec (Czech Republic) 43
6, Matthieu Ladagnous (France) 39
7, Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus) 39
8, Peter Schep (Netherlands) 32
9, Juan Esteban Curuchet (Argentina) 28
10, Oleksandr Polivoda (Ukraine) 5
11, Kampo Wong (Hong Kong, China) 5
12, Alexander Aeschbach (Switzerland) 4
13, Jenserik Madsen (Denmark) 2
14, Makoto Iijima (Japan) -8
15, Andreas Graf (Austria) -19
16, Vladimir Tuychiev (Uzbekistan) -20
17, Ioannis Tamouridis (Greece) -20
DNF: Carlos Alzate Escobar (Colombia)
DNF: David O'Loughlin (Ireland)
DNF: Daniel Oss (Italy)
DNF: Hayden Roulston (New Zealand)
DNF: Rafal Ratajczyk (Poland)
---------
31/3/07 O�LOUGHLIN THROUGH TO POINTS RACE FINAL
Irish rider David O�Loughlin has successfully qualified for this evening�s final of the points race at the world cycling championships in Palma, Majorca.
The Navigators professional had a puncture immediately before the start of the race but got a wheel change and went on to take sixth in his heat, with the first 11 of the 13 riders there to go through. He was one of four riders who gained a lap on the field in the first half of the 60 lap (15 kilometre) event, getting 20 points, and was then able to take it ease back somewhat and save his energies for tonights�s final.
�I am happy with that,� he said afterwards. �Things were very tactical out there but I saw the chance to go for a lap and went for it. I was on my own for a few laps [behind three others trying to gain a lap] but could see the bunch on the other side of the track so decided to persist with it. Once I got the lap I was okay.
�I needed a good workout so that is good. I will go back to the hotel now, have a shower, some food and relax before tonight.�
Greek rider Ioannis Tamouridis gained two laps and topped the heat, with Milan Kadlec (Czech Republic) coming out best in the morning�s other heat. A total of 22 riders will go through to the final this evening, and O�Loughlin is hoping for a good ride there.
Team manager Frank Campbell was happy with the performance. �The plan was to get a lap,� said Campbell. �David is not a sprinter, he is more a roadman so getting a lap was important as once he did that, he could relax. He was in the harder of the two heats with a lot of good names there. Past winner Chris Newton didn�t get through, so that shows the quality of the field.�
Campbell and O�Loughlin have been working hard on technique and tactics. �We have looked at videos of him racing and he tended to do too much in the past, both in the heats and in the final,� said the team manager. �The points race is very tactical, there is a lot going on so we will try to do things a bit differently than before.
�It was good that he got a good workout there; I think he needed that. He has the ability to do very well in the final so hopefully it will go well for him.�
O�Loughlin has been racing professional for several seasons with the US-based Navigators Insurance team but only took up track racing last September, concentrating on the pursuit and the points race. He performed below his expectations in Thursday�s pursuit but is aiming to make up for that with a good showing this evening.
This is the first Irish participation in the world track championships since Phil Collins and Declan Lonergan rode it back in 1996.
(more later)
|
|
|
|
