Bauge takes sprint title amongst controversy

Gregory Bauge takes the victory in the sprint ©RoadCycling.co.nz

Apr 7th, 12. Frenchman Gregory Bauge is the men's sprint king of the boards after winning his third individual sprint title in an exciting and controversial finale.

Bauge defeated defending champion Jason Kenny (Great Britain) 2-0 in the final of the Sprint competition.

Bauge won the first heat of the finals comfortably against Kenny but things were different in the second heat of the much anticipated matchup.

In the second of the final heats, Kenny jumped Bauge at the gun to make the three-lap race into an individual time trial, with the British rider's tactic paying off, beating Bauge by a substantial margin.  

Kenny cross the line pumping his right fist into the air knowing he had figured out how to beat the French strongman.

But controversy occurred for the second night running when commissaries pulled out the technical rulebook, and relegated Kenny for not keeping his line within the sprinter's lane, and thus handed the second heat, and therefore the World Champtionship title to Bauge.

Bauge was happy to take the World Title but said he had one goal left for 2012.

"The main event and object of the season remains the Olympic Games," he said. "Today has helped with that preparation and I don't want to deviate from that."

Kenny beats Hoy in the semi final ©RoadCycling.co.nz

In the contest for Great Britain's single spot for the men's sprint in London, Kenny placed a big marker ahead of Sir Chris Hoy.

British Cycling performance director David Brailsford said last week performances in Melbourne would be a factor in deciding spots for London.

As in 2011, Kenny repeated his effort in beating Hoy two-zero in the semi-final.

Kenny held off Hoy in the first heat and passed the 36-year-old in the finishing straight in the second.

Hoy was unsure if that was the trial for Britain's Olympic spot in the sprint at London.

"I'll have to wait and see," Hoy said.

"I've had five selection rounds this year and that was the final and most important one. If Jason gets it, he deserves it."