Dal Woodford: Cycling Commentator on the success at the Olympics, New Zealand's medal chances in the sprints, Keirin

Keirin gold medallist Ellesse Andrews and team-mate Shaane Fulton are through to the round-of-16 stage in the individual sprint at the velodrome. 

Andrews registered the third quickest lap in the seeding round. 

Bryony Botha and Emily Shearman have finished eighth for New Zealand in the women's madison at the Paris velodrome. 

Longtime Cycling Commentator Del Woodford joined D'Arcy to review the action and look ahead to possible medals.  

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waldegrave from News Talk ZB three.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
This is the All Smat Breakfast on News Talk z B.
Dell Woodford joins us. Now, mister bicycle, get on it, Dell.
There's a lot coming up, the chance for more medals,
dare I say and welcome?

Speaker 3 (00:27):
Yeah, thanks very much, Darcy, Yeah, absolutely right. It's been
a sensational start to the track cycling program, especially for
the woman that's been amazing. And it surprises me because
we don't actually have a lot of track cyclists female
track cyclists in the country that they are performing above
and beyond, which has been outstanding. And then again overnight
Alise Andrews and charn Holton going well in the sprints,

(00:49):
and we've got the men's Madison coming up as well
with Campbell's Stewart and Aaron Gates, so you know, definitely
in with the shot of some more metals. Absolutely, So what's.

Speaker 2 (00:58):
The latest with Elise Andrews. Where does he sit right
now in the cat and mouse the women's sprint, I
should say now?

Speaker 3 (01:06):
Was she finished qualified third third overall, so she'll come
up against Kelsey Mitchell in the next round, and you
just got to keep winning going forward. Now Darcy and
the way she's going, she's looking still strong, looking fresh,
and she's a hard girl to come around if she
gets her nose in front, so definitely sprinting well and
you wouldn't want to come up against her when she's

(01:27):
on such a high. So it's tough. It's the times
are exceptionally fast. At least broke the national record ten
point one eight I think it was for in her
qualifying round. It's just so fast ten oh, you know,
very low tens. Ten point zero was the top qualifier,
so it's not much between them. Shannon lost her you know,

(01:50):
her second ride by a tire would but come track
back through the rapper charge and is into the next
round as well. So yeah, she'll come up against the
British girl there, and Alisa is up against Kelsey Mitchell
the Canadians, so they know each other pretty well and
it's going to be a good battle.

Speaker 2 (02:06):
She really bosses it from the front, doesn't she. Alice
Andrews the way she rides. When you look at the
Karen and what she achieved there is this unusual for
a cyclist to do what she does. Just take charge
and disappear.

Speaker 3 (02:20):
Not when you're in a horse. Her sort of form, Darcy,
she's very hard to come over. She's deceptively fast in
that position. I know her dad, John, who coaches the
team's been encouraging her through the World Cups to practice
different tactics, both in the kieren and the sprint, because
you never know what's going to get thrown at you,
and we saw her sprinting coming around riders as well,

(02:42):
so she's got a little bit more in her arsenal
to throw at some of these competitors as well. They'll
be expecting it to ride just from the front, and
we'll probably see that in the in the later rounds,
but she's got the power to come around over the
top of the riders, and she's got very timely bike
traw as well, So yeah, she's got a bit more
in the tank and a few more tricks up a sleeve.

(03:03):
I think yet that some of her competitors will be
expecting because like you're there, she does right from the
front and is really dominant from the front. But I
think she's still quite dangerous if she lets the other
get the lead and they can be a little bit complacent.

Speaker 2 (03:14):
Confidence sky high, but what about her power after what
has been quite a long campaign so far? Does she
show any sign of fatigue? Do you believe?

Speaker 3 (03:25):
Del I think it will take its toll Darcy. For sure.
It's super hot in the Vlodrome and they're well prepared.
They've been doing a lot of endurance week. You know,
it's the Olympics four years or three years in this case,
and the making to get there, so they are pretty
well prepared. But a big program for the sprinters, the
three events and when you're top of the game and
all when you're going a long way and she's trying

(03:46):
to do as easy as possible, conserve energy as much
as possible if you can. At this level, I think
she's you know, yeah, we'll start to feel it, but
the height, the adrenaline, the occasion, she'll be on top
of the game all the way through.

Speaker 2 (04:01):
It's not just Alice and Shan though, is that there
are some other site they're still out there having a crack.
One of them mass Sam Daykon and of course Alie
Williston who's had success so far as well.

Speaker 3 (04:13):
So more opportunity, Yeah, that's right, Sam Dakin. His target
event was for Kieren he rode well in the sprints.
He broke the national record of Sam Webster's at nine
four seven, sexually fast for New Zealand. Ino Sam is
our only top international male sprinter right now, so he's
not like Sam and when we had Sam, Ethan and
Eddie dominating the world pushing each other. He's the one

(04:36):
guy doing it. So a good performance and he's targeted
the Karen for this event and as you know, with
the ker and you've got to get a bit of run,
you've got to have a little bit of luck on
your side. But we know he's got the form to
actually go a little bit deeper in this competition. And
you're you know with the Madison and the Omnium coming
up for Ali Williston. Ali is a real chance and
he's a class act. He's a superb bunch racer, very

(04:58):
very smart on the bike and has a great sprint.
So I picked her a long way out to go
deeper and pick up a medal and this Somnium of
about three years ago, since she should have been the
one writing in Tokyo, so you know, I'm backing her
all the way to come home with the middle if
she gets a bit of luck in the Growling of
Endurance event.

Speaker 2 (05:17):
And I'll give you the tip if you know dal Wouldford,
don't bother trying to contact them over the next forty
eight hours because he's not going to answer the phone. DLL,
thanks very much for your time. As always, you enjoy
the rest of the games, my friend.

Speaker 3 (05:28):
That's very much Darcy.

Speaker 1 (05:29):
For more from the All Sport Breakfast with Darcy Watergrave,
listen live to News Talk said Be on Saturday mornings,
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