Gray Wins Men’s Individual Pursuit Keast Crashes But Keeps Racing

Commonwealth Games-bound Jared Gray has claimed the men’s individual pursuit title on the opening night of the Vantage Windows & Doors Elite and Under 19 track national championships in Invercargill.

The Waikato-Bay of Plenty rider despatched Canterbury’s Josh Scott in the final, with 2015 Tour of Southland winner Brad Evans (Otago) winning the bronze medal from Cantabrian Hugo Jones when he overtook him on the final lap.

With his sights set firmly on the big show on the Gold Coast in April, Gray counted his elite title as another quality step in his season progression.

“I’ve come in here with a bit of load in the legs because my focus is the Comm Games, so I wasn’t on top form. The track wasn’t running super fast, but I was pretty happy with my times which were pretty consistent – two solid training rides,” he said.

Gray admitted that being named in the large New Zealand cycling team for the Commonwealth Games still felt a little surreal.

“It hasn’t really sunk in yet because it was named just before I came down here. I think once I get on the plane it will start to sink in, I’m pretty excited.”

Gray, who will also ride the points race and scratch race this week, would certainly have been an easy rider for the selectors to notice, especially sporting the sort of quality mullet hairstyle previously made famous in New Zealand cycling circles by Shane Archbold.

“I’m pleased you noticed that. I’ve been growing it for about a year or so now. I’m not sure when I’ll stop growing it. I love the mullet – no one else really has one, so it’s good to be a bit different.

With the world championships starting in the Netherlands later this month, a host of New Zealand’s top track riders are unavailable for this week’s national championships at Invercargill’s SIT Velodrome, giving a new brigade of cyclists a chance to show their wares.
Waikato-Bay of Plenty’s Tess Young took out the elite women’s 500m time trial, with Aucklaner’s Sam Dakin winning the elite men’s 1000m time trial.

Waikato-Bay of Plenty’s Kiaan Watts completed an exciting first night’s racing by taking out the under 19 men’s 10km scratch race from local rider Hamish Keast, who showed plenty of character to get back into the race after a crash, and Finn Fisher-Black (Tasman).

From left, Hamish Keast (Southland) 2; Kiaan Watts (Wai-BOP), 1; Finn Fisher-Black (Tasman), 3; Race was the U19 men 10km scratch race.

The programme continues on Thursday with the elite men’s and women’s sprint, and the elite men’s omnium getting underway and runs through until Sunday.

Source story and photos: Cycling Southland.