Pendleton and Varnish out of medal race after infringement
Victoria Pendleton and Jessica Varnish are relegated in the women’s team sprint for changing over in the wrong part of the track.
In round one of the track cycling Pendleton and Varnish, strong medal hopefuls for Team GB, were judged to have infringed and will not compete for a medal.
Officials took the action for overtaking. Under the rules in the team sprint cyclists are not allowed to takeover before or after a certain point in the race. Loud boos came from the crowd at the decision.
It is understood that Pendleton committed the overtake and that she passed by half a wheel.
A tearful yet sanguine Pendleton later said that the rules had been correctly applied:
“It was an illegal change. I came through in the change zone about a metre too early; we’re talking about one hundredth of a second of a mistake there. Jess moved up a fraction too early and I just saw the door and went for it, because that’s my cue to try to squeeze underneath her as quickly as possible. It’s one of those things that happens. It’s quicker than a blink of an eye.”
But Jessica Varnish, who will not compete again in this Olympics, was too upset to complete her media obligations.
The illegal changeover came in the quarter finals of the team sprint, when Pendleton and Varnish were competing against Ukraine. The response to the race was initially jubilation with Pendleton and Varnish completing in 32.567 seconds.
Prior to the race the pair had broken the world record with a time of 32.526 seconds. A minute later previous world record holders China again broke the new short-lived record with a time of 32.447.
Nevertheless the great times being posted by the British team had looked set to ensure an electrifying final between China and Great Britain.
China relegated
The controversy continued in the final when the Chinese team was also relegated for the same infringement.
They completed the track the quickest and appeared to have won gold – only to find the relegation had put them in silver position with Germany taking the top spot.
Great Britain ended up classified as eighth.
Victoria Pendleton will compete in the women’s keirin tomorrow and women’s sprint the day after.