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Shane Kelly hails Matthew Glaetzer after his record ride in Manchester

AUSTRALIA’S original ‘minute man’ Shane Kelly has hailed track cyclist Matthew Glaetzer after he broke the sea-level 1km time trial record in Manchester on Sunday.

Australia's Matthew Glaetzer during the men’s 1km time trial at the Manchester World Cup. Picture: Martin Rickett (AP).
Australia's Matthew Glaetzer during the men’s 1km time trial at the Manchester World Cup. Picture: Martin Rickett (AP).

AUSTRALIA’S original ‘minute man’ Shane Kelly has hailed track cyclist Matthew Glaetzer after he broke the sea-level 1km time trial record in Manchester on Sunday.

Glaetzer became the first man in history to go under the one minute barrier without altitude assistance when he clocked 59.970secs at a world cup.

The world record belongs to Frenchman Francois Pervis who rode 56.303 at Aguascallientes in Mexico in 2013 — aided by an elevation of 3000m.

Glaetzer’s ride comes 22 years after Kelly became the first man in history to ride 1:00 — which he did at altitude in Colombia in 1995.

Glaetzer shows the strain of becoming the first man to go under one minute over 1km at sea level. Picture: Martin Rickett (AP).
Glaetzer shows the strain of becoming the first man to go under one minute over 1km at sea level. Picture: Martin Rickett (AP).

“It’s petty awesome, no doubt about it,” Kelly said yesterday.

“I knew he’d been preparing for the kilo and I thought he was going to go under the minute next year whether at nationals or Comm Games in Brisbane.

“But he’s done it earlier than I expected.

“I had a look at the ride on YouTube and I don’t know what gear he was running but it was pretty big, but that suits the big fella, I think the kilo is him.”

After blitzing qualifying, Glaetzer went on to beat Eric Engler for the gold medal.

Glaetzer’s ride combined wit his performance at the Poland world cup last week where he won gold in the individual sprint is a strong endorsement of new coach Nick Flyger who has been in the role for 12 months.

Kelly said the next challenge for Glaetzer was to turn his form and confidence into world and Olympic medals.

Australian cyclist Shane Kelly was 1km TT world champion in 1995 and 1996.
Australian cyclist Shane Kelly was 1km TT world champion in 1995 and 1996.

“We’ve seen now at the world cups he’s had strong performances and putting it on the board in the big ones — worlds and Olympics — there is no reason why he can’t, he’s as quick as anyone else,” Kelly said.

“Manchester is a good track, is it the quickest? Probably not, but Gold Coast is well suited to him so we might see him go faster again if it all comes together.”

Kelly said he was pleased to see an Australian back on top of the 1km time trial, the event he owned as world champion in 1995 and 1996.

“It’s an event we dominated for so long even prior to myself we were always on the podium, so it’s great the focus back on it,” he said.

“Obviously the way the keirin is now that’s almost a kilo so it would be great to see more of what we’ve just witnessed.”

Originally published as Shane Kelly hails Matthew Glaetzer after his record ride in Manchester

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Original URL: https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/sport/shane-kelly-hails-matthew-glaetzer-after-his-record-ride-in-manchester/news-story/549cce0026b3ed0726adf57fd88700cf