Hayden Roulston's track comeback has continued in Invercargill, with the Cantabrian claiming the Individual Pursuit title at the Oceania Track Champs.
It was the second gold of the event for the former professional road cyclist.
His narrow win over Aussie Rohan Wight in the Individual Pursuit final was not one he particularly enjoyed.
"Ah no, that did not feel good. I actually really, really suffered in that – much more than in the morning," says Mr Roulston.
The win does give him an automatic start at next year's World Champs in London, but right now his body is still readjusting to the indoor track after years of riding the roads in Europe.
"Just went a little bit fast in the start and it's just that lack of track racing, that I don't have the ability to clear lactate at the moment. So it caught up with me at the end, and I was just very lucky to hold onto that," says Roulston.
All eyes were on Aussie superstar Anna Meares in the women's Keirin final.
The reigning World Champion was kitted out in her rainbow jersey and even rainbow earrings for the race, but was squeezed back into third place by teammate Stephanie Morton and Kiwi Natasha Hansen.
"It takes a lot to win on the day at big competitions. So I'm really proud of what I did to achieve this rainbow. And I love racing, so win, lose or draw I'm doing what I enjoy doing," says Meares.
That's what's kept Auckland's Aaron Gate going in the six-discipline Omnium event.
After an up-and-down couple of seasons, he's getting back to the form that saw him claim the world title two years ago.
"It's good to finally – as we say in the industry – the track legs are coming back. So it's good and it's a good place to be at the very start of the season, so hopefully I can keep building on it," says Gate.
A World Championships spot is on the line tonight as the Omnium wraps up with the Flying Lap and 40k Points Race.
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