Kenny lights up a stuttering men's sprint competition

Jason Kenny, sprint, London 2012 Olympic Games, track day three morning session

Jason Kenny set a new flying 200m Olympic record of 9.713 seconds to kick off the men's sprint competition that is sadly lacking in quality.

Current world champion Gregory Bauge (France) is here, as is Robert Forstemann (Germany) and Shane Perkins (Australia); but those four are the only genuine contenders for this competition.

The reason behind the lack of world class riders is a new rule brought in by the sports governing body the UCI. When they announced the new track schedule - that removed the individual pursuit, points race and madison, introduced the women's team sprint and keirin and the omnium for both men and women - they also changed the rules for the sprint competitions meaning each nation could only enter one rider.

So no Sir Chris Hoy, no Kevin Sireau (france), no Maximillian Levy (Australia). When the rule change came in, Hoy himself said that the Olympic gold would be easier to win than a world title.

18 riders were meant to ride the morning qualifying round, but the Netherlands pulled out their sprinter some weeks ago, meaning only 17 riders set a flying 200m qualifying time. All the riders went through to the following 1/16 finals, ranked by their times. It meant Jason Kenny, as the fastest rider received a bye in the first round.

Bauge also recieved a bye when 17th placed rider Zafeirios Volikakis of Greece left the velodrome believing only the first 16 riders went through to the 1/16 finals. His coaches pleaded with the judges to wait until they had brought him back, but they didn't allow it. His Olympics last just 10.663 seconds.

Both Kenny and Bauge still had to take to the start line and roll round half a lap of the track in order to go through, raising a bemused round of appluase from the crowd.

Defending champion Sir Chris Hoy was watching the sprint qualifying from the Athletes' Village, and before Kenny's ride tweeted: "Men's 200m tt on now. Ok.. I'm going to stick my neck out and say it'll be won in a new Olympic Record with 9.71. By Jason."

Having got it spot on, he then posted: "Next up: this week's lottery numbers..."

The sprint competition runs over three days, finishing on Monday.

In the first round of the men's omnium saw Ed Clancy come out on top, winning the flying lap with an impressive time of 12.556, half a second faster than Shane Archibold (New Zealand) in second place. GB sprint coach Iain Dyer later tweeted to say that over the 200m Ed's time was 10.04 seconds, which would have placed him fourth in sprint qualifying, ahead of Robert Forstemann.

London 2012: Live text coverage of cycling events

August 3: Track cycling day two

August 2: Track cycling day one

August 1: Men's and women's time trials

July 28: Men's road race

July 29: Women's road race

London 2012: Latest news

Comment: Hindes's purposeful crash - fair or foul?

New format for team pursuit explained

Pendleton and Varnish out of team sprint

'Hot pants' key to Pendleton and Hoy sprint

Britain's sprinters looking to continue GB medal haul

Wiggins: Tour was perfect Olympic TT preparation

Olympic time trial round-up

Pendleton warms up for London 2012

Cancellara in, Evans out of time trial

CW eyewitness: Remember the name

Cavendish finds solace in commitment of his team mates

London 2012: Team info

Men's road race start list

Women's road race start list

Men's time trial start list

Women's time trial start list

Team GB rider profiles

Great Britain track team confirmed

Bronzini leads Italian Olympic cycling team

British Olympic men's road race team announced

Armitstead and Cooke lead GB women's road cycling team

London 2012: Event guides

Olympic Games men's time trial: Who will win?

Olympic Games women's time trial: Who will win?

Olympic time trial routes announced

Olympic Games women's road race: Who will win?

Olympic Games men's road race: Who will win?

Download detailed Olympic road race route map

London 2012 cycling schedule

London 2012: Reports

Kenny lights up a stuttering men's sprint competition

Track day two: Pendleton and team pursuiters deliver more gold

Track cycling day one: Hoy leads team sprinters to gold

Wiggins wins gold in men's time trial, bronze for Froome

Armstrong defends Olympic title in women's time trial

Cycling events medal table

Women's road race: Armitstead wins silver as Vos strikes gold

Men's road race: Vinokourov wins as Cavendish misses out

London 2012: Photos

Track day two by Phil O'Connor

Track day two by Graham Watson

Track day one by Andy Jones

Track day one by Phil O'Connor

Track day one by Graham Watson

Men's time trial by Graham Watson

Women's time trial by Graham Watson

Pendleton track training

Women's road race by Andy Jones

Women's road race by Graham Watson

Men's road race by Andy Jones

Men's road race by Phil O'Connor

Men's road race by Graham Watson

Team GB road race training on Box Hill (July 26)

London 2012: Podcasts

Cycling Weekly podcasts on Soundcloud

London 2012: TV schedule

London 2012 BBC TV cycling coverage schedule

London 2012 Eurosport cycling coverage schedule

Related links

World's best BMXers in London 2012 test event

Olympic road race test event: Report card

Cavendish wins London-Surrey Cycle Classic

London-Surrey Cycle Classic photo gallery

Olympic road race route officially revealed

London 2012 tickets on sale from March

 

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Simon Richardson
Magazine editor

Editor of Cycling Weekly magazine, Simon has been working at the title since 2001. He fell in love with cycling 1989 when watching the Tour de France on Channel 4, started racing in 1995 and in 2000 he spent one season racing in Belgium. During his time at CW (and Cycle Sport magazine) he has written product reviews, fitness features, pro interviews, race coverage and news. He has covered the Tour de France more times than he can remember along with two Olympic Games and many other international and UK domestic races. He became the 130-year-old magazine's 13th editor in 2015.