World Champion sets new NZ record

Feb 12th, 10.  

A big smile after a record breaking race ©RoadCycling.co.nz

Her time was less than 38/100ths of a second outside the time she set in her winning race at the World Championships in Poland last year, and faster than her winning effort in the recent Beijing World Cup.

"I've had a couple of World Cups this season and this race now is my season best so it seems as though things are tracking well for Worlds," Shanks said.

To attempt the record in the heats wasn't the original plan, but the Otago rider's body had a different plan.

"We'd set a schedule, trying to sit on 17.2s laps. I went out a bit hotter and when you feel good you just have to hold it, and I managed to hold it right through. I'm stoked with that time this morning," Shanks said.

Although she knew she was on track for a good time, she didn't realise how good until she looked up at the scoreboard after the race.

"You kind of get an idea you're going for a good time, but you never really know what's going to be up on that scoreboard when you cross the line."

"To tell you the truth I had no idea what it was going to be. I knew it was going to be low 3:30s but to have it very, very low 3:30s was really cool," Shanks told RoadCycling.co.nz

Shanks in individual pursuit action ©RoadCycling.co.nz

Shanks said having to pass Ellis was a good and a bad thing.

"It's a catch 22, because it's great having a carrot to chase but then you tend to lose a bit of time going around someone," said Shanks who didn't rule out going even faster tonight.  

"I think the track will probably warm up a little more tonight, it's hot in here this morning but it tends to get even warmer in the evenings - we'll see what the legs produce tonight," she said.

Fellow BikeNZ team pursuit squad members Kaytee Boyd (Auckland) and Rushlee Buchanan (Waikato Bay of Plenty) will ride for the bronze medal.

The individual pursuit heats also acted as Event 2 of the women's omnium.  Three riders were competing in the omnium, but not the individual pursuit as a separate event; Jo Kiesanowski, Sequoia Cooper and Hayley Giddens.

Canterbury's Kiesanowski rode one of her first individual pursuits in ten years and was thrilled with the race. She rode an incredibly consistent and controlled race to better her goal of racing a 3:45 with a 3:44.1 

Results from the women's individual pursuit heats

*denotes omnium rider as well

Additional omnium results

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