Sweet Start to Season

Dunedin cyclist Alison Shanks, 28, has won two gold medals at the UCI World Cup in Cali, Colombia at the Alcides Nieto Patiño Velodrome taking first place in the 3m individual pursuit and in the women’s team pursuit. Shanks said she was uncertain of how she would perform at Cali. “The main focus coming here was the team pursuit and we really stepped up and put out a good ride as well,” she said. “With two hard rides already in the legs I was never too sure what I could produce in the individual. It’s been a pretty full-on 24 hours with four rides that’s for sure.” In the team pursuit final against the United States, Shanks competed with Lauren Ellis, 24, and Rushlee Buchanan, 22. The men’s pursuit team made up of of Sam Bewley, Wes Gough, Marc Ryan and Jesse Sergent also won gold against their Colombian hosts.