Queally back to his best. Picture © www.tissottiming.com

Former Olympic champion Jason Queally is coming back to his best form. He sent out a clear message to his rivals ahead of the Commonwealth Games next year by (easily) winning the kilometre in the World Cup in Moscow. Queally clocked one minute 2.644 seconds to beat German Carsten Bergmann into second place by almost half a second. He followed up by celebrating his 35th birthday the following day with a silver in the Team sprint.

Queally’s Moscow time was not as quick as Chris Hoy’s in Manchester recently. Hoy chose not to race the kilo in Moscow, but Queally still showed signs that he’ll be hard to beat come March ’06 in Melbourne. Craig Maclean also proved that he is back to flying form when he managed Silver in the Men’s sprint, it took the super-fast German, Stefan Nimke to beat him into second place. Maclean has also had his fair share of form problems, so the British camp has plenty to be happy about on the plane home.

In the Women’s racing Wendy Houvenhagel managed a highly impressive 3:46 in the 3000 metres, perhaps she went a little too quick in qualifying (as she won it) and eventually lost out to Chinese sensation Li Meifang in the race-off for gold. Remarkable that she beat Sara Carrigan and Olga Slyusareva and a very respectable field on her way to victory in the qualifying though.

The new star of the Women’s Pursuit? Picture © www.tissottiming.com

World Champion Victoria Pendleton secured another podium spot with silver in the Sprint, finishing second to the experienced Natallia Tsylinskaya. Pendleton was slightly off the pace in the 500 metres too, where she came 5th.

Team events
Sadly the British team pursuit team could only manage 12th place in the qualifying rounds, but these are early days for the young squad of Andrew Tennant, Ross Sander, Geraint Thomas and Ian Stannard. This is one of their first big outings together and marks the beginning of their build up to Bejing.

Flying Brits Picture © www.tissottiming.com

On the last day of the racing in Moscow there was a very close Team sprint final between Germany and GB. This means that the Revolution in a few weeks time will be an even closer fought contest. Both these teams are flying at present and GB will be keen to gain revenge on home soil.

GERMANY 59.2401
BERGMANN Carsten
JOHN Matthias
NIMKE Stefan

GBR – GREAT BRITAIN 59.7462
HOY Chris
MACLEAN Craig
QUEALLY Jason