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Last Updated: 2 Apr 2018 - 8:45:17 PM |
O'LOUGHLIN 8TH IN MOSCOW WORLD CUP PURSUIT
By Shane Stokes & CI press release
16 Dec 2006,
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David O�Loughlin�s recent strong velodrome performances continued on Friday with a fine eighth place finish from 21 starters in the individual pursuit at the Moscow round of Cycling�s track World Cup.
O�Loughlin recorded a time of 4 minutes 32.206 during the qualifiers, going quickly enough to finish in the first half of the field despite what is a limited track racing background. The performance follows on from his unexpected win against vastly more experienced riders Bradley McGee, Bradley Wiggins and David Millar at a round of the Revolution track series last month, plus his setting of a new Irish pursuit record at the end of September.
On that occasion he recorded a time of 4 minutes 29.9 seconds, almost two and a half seconds quicker, but he was in peak form following the road season plus his world road race championship participation. The Mayo rider is hoping to ride the world track champs in Mallorca next April and, providing all goes well in the build-up to that event, he could improve upon his Irish record.
UK rider Rob Hayles was quickest in Moscow, recording a time of 4 minutes 23.032 in qualifying. He went on to finish second behind German rider Robert Bartko in the final. Former FBD Milk R�s Paul Manning beat Russian Alexander Serov for bronze.
Friday�s full CI press release is as follows:
O'LOUGHLIN PRODUCES QUALITY PERFORMANCE IN MOSCOW (press release)
Ireland 's top time trial cyclist finishes 8th in Men's Individual Pursuit World Cup
Elite national time trial champion David O'Loughlin finished 8th in the Individual Pursuit World Cup event in Moscow today (December 15). Taking on many of the world's top pursuit riders O'Loughlin (27), from Cong Co Mayo, is delighted with the high finish which is a major boost to his qualification hopes for the 2007 World Championships in Palma, Mallorca, in April 2007.
The first phase of the 4,000 meter pursuit saw 22 riders time trail to determine the competitors in the final and third place races. O'Loughlin registered a time of 4 minutes, 32 .206 seconds, at an average speed of 52.901 km per hour. That was just 5 seconds off a final four sport. It was also his first outing on his new Carbon Terry Dolan Track bike.
David O'Loughlin; "I am very happy with that result. It confirms that I can compete at the very top level on the track. I'm not in peak shape and I am only a couple of seconds from the top four. Cycling Ireland has put in place a new system that has targeted the velodrome and that has given my career a new focus. Now I am really looking forward to 2007."
Frank Campbell was appointed Performance Director of Cycling Ireland in October 2006. He said "David has exceeded our expectations in Moscow. Clearly he has great talent on the track. We can build on what he has achieved in 2006, including today's qualifying points for the World Championships, with a training and competition programme in 2007".
The World Cup is the elite series of four track events each year. The Moscow event (December 15 to 17) is the second of the season ( Sydney, Moscow, Los Angeles (Jan 07), Manchester (Feb 07)) which reaches its climax in Mallorca in April. The Irish team in Moscow is led by Cycle Ireland's Brian Nugent, Head of Track Coaching, and includes a Moscow based mechanic from David's US Pro team, Navigator.
David's road pedigree is very impressive being twice Irish elite road champion. He stunned the world of international track cycling by breaking the long standing Irish record for the 4000 metres pursuit with an incredible 4 minutes 29.9 seconds on his first ever track session in Newport in early October. He followed up with his defeat of reigning Olympic champion Bradley Wiggins, Tour de France yellow jersey holder David Millar and former World champion, Australian Bradley McGee, in the recent revolution meeting in Manchester.
Frank Campbell: We have a number of quality cyclists who have the potential to produce top quality performances on the track. I have put in place a programme for the next couple of years, with the support of the Irish Sports Council, that will give Ireland a presence in the track disciplines.
David is the trailblazer leading the first official Irish team at a World Cup event, and I am optimistic, with the talent in the sport, we can get an Irish team to the World Championships next year."
Rob Hayles from the UK had the fastest qualifying time in the event at 4:23:032.
(Note regarding final quote: Former national team director Alisdair McLennon has been in contact with us to state that Irish riders have competed in World Cup events in the past.
�Declan Lonergan and Phil Collins took part in UCI World Cup events in Manchester, Cali (Colombia) and Havana in 95/96, and Lonergan actually won the Points race in Havana against some very top quality opposition. Both riders gained enough points during this campaign to qualify for the 96 Olympics in Atlanta. Sadly these efforts never really received the recognition they deserved. But all the best to everyone in their efforts this time round to qualify.�)
Track World Cup 06-07, Round 2, Moscow, Russia, December 15-17, 2006:
Men's 4000m Individual Pursuit
Qualifying:
1, Robert Hayles (GBr) 4 mins 23.03 sec (54.746 km/h)
2, Robert Bartko (Ger) 4 mins 26.38
3, Alexander Serov (Rus) 4 mins 26.92
4, Paul Manning (GBr) 4 mins 27.13
5, Jens Mouris (Ned) 4 mins 27.89
6, David Muntaner Juaneda (Spa) 4 mins 29.84
7 Vitaliy Shchedov (Ukr) 4 mins 31.72
8, David O'loughlin (Irl) 4 mins 32.21
9, Zach Bell (Can) 4 mins 32.94
10, Maksym Polischuk (Ukr) 4 mins 33.11
11, Tom Zirbel (USA) 4 mins 33.76
12, Ingmar De Poortere (Bel) 4 mins 34.32
13, Alexander Khatuntsev (Rus) 4 mins 34.33
14, Fabien Sanchez (Fra) 4 mins 35.72
15, Marc Ryan (NZl) 4 mins 35.87
16, Alex Rasmussen (Den) 4 mins 37.17
17, Giairo Ermeti (Ita) 4 mins 38.41
18, Aliaksandr Lisovski (Blr) 4 mins 39.40
19, Matti Pajari (Fin) 4 mins 49.18
20, Ho Ting Kwok (HKg) 4 mins 53.03
21, Elchin Asadov (Aze) 5 mins 29.85
Final
Gold Medal match:
1, Robert Bartko (Ger) 4 mins 25.862 (54.163 km/h)
2, Robert Hayles (GBr) 4 mins 26.472
Bronze Medal match:
3, Paul Manning (GBr) 4 mins 28.040
4, Alexander Serov (Rus) 4 mins 31.911
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