Source: Cyclingnews.com
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Sky+ HD’s Jason Kenny took the men’s sprint in spectacular fashion as he and silver medallist Shane Perkinsof Australia both crossed the line on their backs in the second race. Kenny, having won the first race was pronounced the winner and gold medallist as he crossed the line first. The first race had been a close affair with Perkins just failing to overcome the Olympic silver medallist, and the second was just as tight until the pair came together with just a few metres remaining. Both riders were unhurt save for a few friction burns from the track surface.
"That was a bit different, wasn’t it!" joked Kenny as he warmed down afterwards. "We just came together in the home straight, I think he went down first and then eventually I went down as well. I watched the replay; I don’t think it was anyone’s fault as such, we just kind of came together a little bit and unfortunately we ended up on the floor. Nine times out of ten you just bounce off each other.
"It is tricky," he explained, "me and Matt [Great Britain team mate Crampton] touched in our race and it was fine, I’ve touched people before and it’s fine... it’s just sometimes you get it a bit awkward and someone goes down; and we both went down that time.
"It’s no big deal, it’s part and parcel of what we do really," he added. "I was pleased with the result, obviously," he said, smiling, "They all count - it doesn’t matter how you finish. I knew he was going to be a really good race, and to beat him I was going to have to do my best and make sure I made no mistakes, and I was really pleased.
"I was pleased with my race in the semi’ [where he bested compatriot Crampton in two races] and so I just needed to carry it on - to try to carry it into the final really, and I just did enough in the first one and just held on to it in the second one."
Perkins overcame Michael D’Alemida of US Creteil to reach the final against Kenny, but the Australian was just unable to beat the young Briton on his home track. He too was philosophical about the second lap incident. "I was coming up the straight," he explained to Cyclingnews, "both [of us] going for it, wrapped handlebars and we both came down. It’s all part of racing though. It happens."
Getting over his disappointment for being beaten by Kenny in the semi-final, Crampton beat D’Almeida in two races to take the bronze.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/track/2008/worldcup0809/manchester08/?id=results/manchester084