Again there were both sprint and endurance events for the women today, with the conclusion of the match sprint, the 500TT and the scratch race, and the new velodrome in Mallorca continues to turn out some exceptional times.
I am told by someone in the know that new wood has more sap and is consequently more springy and a little faster than wood that has been in place for some time. Word is that it is also a bit on the bumpy side and still creaking as it settles in, but it is indisputably fast and day 3 of these championships reinforced this.
500TT
GB fielded two riders in the women's time trial; Anna Blythe and Shanaze Reade. Pendleton chose to sit this one out to concentrate on the sprint event.
Reade has never ridden this event in competition before and so was set off early, as later rounds are seeded, so that the fastest ride last. However, she set such a blistering time of 34.633 that she sat at the top of the leader board until the last four riders. The natural talent of Reade is taking people's breath away.
Blythe must feel a little in her shadow. She posted 34.870, just off her personal best, to finish 8th overall. Without Reade to compare herself against, this would have been a great result at her first senior world championships and she should, on reflection, take heart from the result.
The event was won by Anna Meares (Aus) who broke her own world record by riding 33.588. This is the first new world record on this track, despite some very quick times in other events. Meares performance is even more exceptional when seen in the context of the fact that she rode the Team TT on day 1 and the sprint qualifying and early rounds on day 2. She rode the perfect race; a great start, a beautiful line throughout and leg speed that was so fast it blurred.
Sprint
Vicky Pendleton was back in action today and met Lisandra Guerra Rodriguez (Cuba) in the semi finals. Pendleton progressed to the gold medal final with two straight wins over Rodriguez, justifying her position as favourite to win the title this year.
In the other semi, last year's bronze medallist, Shuang Guo (China) lost the first race to Anna Meares (Australia), but showed strength to win the next two and book her place in the final with Pendleton.
Guo went into the final as the fastest qualifier, but that is no guarantee of success. Pendleton had beaten Guo before but, a relative youngster, Guo has improved since then and it promised to be an exciting match.
In fact it was anything but, as Pendleton proved she is not only stronger and faster, but also a very confident tactical sprinter and she beat Guo in two straight sprints to win back the title she first won in Los Angeles in 2005.
In the first match Guo led out the final sprint but Pendleton rode over the top of her and Guo seemed resigned to let it go. In the second match, Pendleton jumped and pulled out a significant gap that Guo who was unable to close.
In the race for bronze it was Meares who took the medal from Rodriguez, despite the fact that she had not only won the 500TT earlier in the day, but set a new world record in doing so. Very classy.
Scratch
Katie Curtis seemed like a surprise selection from the outside, but word from her home track in Newport was that it was anything but. She has apparently been riding so strong for so long now that the locals are pleased to take a rest from getting their butts kicked!
The 40 lap scratch race was fast and aggressive, but despite many attacks off the front, none stayed away. The race was finally decided when World Cup winner Yumari Valdivieso (Cuba) shot off the front in the last couple of laps and managed to stay away for the win. Silver went to Williams (Col) and third over the line was Quinn (USA) who was later relegated to last for an illegal move in the final sprint. Bronze went to Visser (Ned).
Curtis meanwhile kept herself well positioned and in the middle of the action and was placed 8th. This is her first senior world championships, but she has approached the event with a maturity that does her credit.
And what about the boys?
The early rounds of sprinting have left MacLean in the hunt for the medal as he goes through to the semi finals, sadly putting team made Edgar out of the competition on the way. In the points, GB's rider Newton failed to qualify .
We will be bringing you more updates as the championships progress and the schedule is as follows:
Programme of Events for Women
Day 1: 29 March - Women's team sprint
Day 2: 30 March - Women's sprint (qualifying) and individual pursuit
Day 3: 31 March - Women's sprint (final), 500TT, Scratch
Day 4: 1 April - Women's Keirin and Points
