| 8th November 2009, Manchester Velodrome |
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| Simon and his pilot David Readle really set the qualification alight with a very rapid 10.683s flying 200 metres. They were a good half second quicker than any of the preceding pairings. The Spanish duo Jose Enrique Porto and Jose Antonio Villanueva then dipped under the Brit pairing's time to register 10.602. Underlining the quality of the competition, the Canadian duo then also dipped under 10 seconds. |
| Irish pairing Michael Delany and Con Collins were the recipients of some rotten luck as stoker Delany pulled his foot out of his pedal as they began their flying lap. They had early crashed in warm up, so it really wasn't their day. However, they were granted a re-run and became the fifth duo to go under 11 seconds, qualifying fourth in 10.857, a great ride in the circumstances. |
| Fachie and Storey made their way effortlessly through to the semi-finals with two straightforward demolitions of the Germans Reich and Goljasch. In both races the GB pairing simply rode round their opponents with a lap and a half to go and rode clear to win by several lengths. The Spaniards Porto and Villanueva were similarly in a different league to their opponents, the Canadians Cowie and Simbert, winning easily in two rides. Jackson and Readle made it two British teams into the semis, outclassing the Columbians in two rides: in both they allowed their opponents to commit themselves and then just simply cruised past with a lap or so to go. |
| Simon and Dave came up against the Spanish duo, winning their first race against the Spanish, Simon and Dave needed to win the second race with ease to get more rest before the final! Both teams getting very close in the second race, the Spanish bagged the race by a nose! So it was all to play for in the 3rd race… getting very close again Simon caused a busted lip to the Spanish Pilot as him and Dave were passing them, his elbow flicked and smacked the pilot clean in the face! Unfortunately this caused a disqualification and the Spanish Tandem were awarded a win in the 3rd race. |
Simon expressed that his first World Championships as a cyclist were very different from his past sport of Judo.
“It is a massive team effort in cycling, you have got to work hard together to reach your desired goal’ I think myself and Dave did our absolute best some of the best Tandem cyclist in the world” |
LINKS:
http://new.britishcycling.org.uk/paracycling-2009/ |
