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Phinney wins (another) world junior title

American Hayduk takes scratch race bronze

Published: Jul. 12, 2008

American Taylor Phinney won a world junior championship title Saturday in the 3,000m individual pursuit in Cape Town, South Africa.

In addition to collecting another world junior title to go with the world junior time trial mantle he picked up last year, the 18-year-old also received confirmation that his preparation for the Beijing Olympic Games is on track.

Another American, Colleen Hayduk from Kutztown, Pennsylvania, scored a bronze medal in the scratch race in the first day of competition.

To qualify for the final round, Phinney set a time of 3:20.264. Riding against Australian Dennis Rohan in the final, Phinney’s time was only 3:23.759 — yet he finished comfortably, nearly four seconds ahead of Rohan.

Jason Christie of New Zealand took the bronze in the pursuit.

Phinney is the world record holder for the junior individual pursuit. Earlier this year he clocked a time of 3:16.589 at a USA Cycling team selection camp at the ADT Event Center velodrome in Los Angeles. That facility is arguably faster than the track in Cape Town.

In Beijing, Phinney will compete in the 4,000m individual pursuit, the standard distance in the elite ranks.

On Friday, Phinney will defend his world junior time trial title. But before that, he will race the points race on Sunday and the multi-event track omnium on Wednesday.

In the junior women’s scratch race, Hayduk finished third behind Australians Megan Dunn and Gemma Dudley.

Like Phinney, Hayduk will contest multiple events on the track including the match sprint on Tuesday and the Keirin on Wednesday.

The 2008 UCI Junior Road and Track World Championships continue Sunday with the second day of track racing, however no U.S. athletes are scheduled to compete.