Cycling: Shanks to ride off for bronze at world champs

Dunedin's Alison Shanks has failed in her bid to win back-to-back individual pursuit titles at the track cycling world championships.

The 2009 titleholder will instead ride off for bronze at the world championships at Copenhagen, Denmark, this morning, after posting the third fastest qualifying time.

The Dunedin rider posted a time of three minutes 31.259 seconds over 3000m, finishing behind American Sarah Hammer and Briton Wendy Houvenaghel.

Hammer qualified quickest in 3min 27.826sec and Houvenaghel booked a berth in the final with a time of 3min 30.377sec.

Shanks will ride off for bronze against Lithuania's Vilija Serekaite.

Another New Zealander, Jaime Nielsen, finished seventh in qualifying with a time of 3min 37.212sec.