July 30, 2004 – Day two of the 2004 UCI Junior Track World Championships came to a close this evening after crowning three more world champions. Tonight, the finals in the men’s keirin, the women’s 500 metre time trial and the men’s individual pursuit were contested at the ADT Event Center, the nation’s only indoor velodrome.

In the women’s 500m time trial, Team USA’s Tela Crane had the difficult task of being the first rider out of the blocks, leading off the field with a time of 38.895 over two laps of the 250-meter track. As the 17-rider field took to the track one by one, France’s Elodie Henriette became the first rider to crack the 37-second mark, clocking a 36.990, a mark that would be the time to beat until Miriam Welte (GER) rode a 36.560. Welte’s time held until the evening’s final rider, defending world champion Shuang Guo (CHN), rode a blistering 35.821 to take her second consecutive rainbow jersey.

Crane’s time placed her 13th overall as the top American finisher ahead of Natalie Klemko whose 39.307 was good enough for 15th.

In the men’s keirin, Ryan Nelman entered the evening session with medal potential after winning his qualifying heat earlier in the day. The evening began with the second round in which the top-three riders from each of two semifinal heats would advance to the final for the gold medal. Nelman comfortably advanced with a second place effort in his heat setting the stage for the best medal opportunity thus far for the American team.

In the final, Nelman narrowly missed out on a medal with a fourth place effort after making a last-lap surge for the line. Sitting fifth wheel as the motorbike pulled off the track, Nelman waited until the final 250 meters to make his move and appeared to be making up enough ground to claim a medal. As he came off the final turn, an
eager field making a mad dash for the finish prevented Nelman from
claiming a spot on the podium.

Shane Perkins (AUS) won the world title ahead of his teammate, Daniel
Thorsen. Italian Francesco Kanda took the bronze medal.

The success for the Australian team didn’t stop there as world record
holder Michael Ford won the gold medal in the individual pursuit from
Sascha Damrow (GER). Ford clocked a time of 3:21.802, over four
seconds off his world record pace of 3:17.775 set earlier this year
in Sydney.

After the second day of competition, Germany leads the medal count
with five, but it’s the Aussies who have claimed the most world
titles with three gold medals.

The U.S. squad again finishes the day without a medal but Friday
offers another opportunity as Kimberly Geist, who qualified with the
fifth fastest time in the women’s individual pursuit, competes in the
first round in the morning session. Chris Ruhl will compete in the
men’s points race and Crane and Klemko will toe the line in the
women’s keirin.