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January 4, 2005

World's best focus on sprint

From: Ballarat Courier, Australia - Jan 4, 2005

CYCLING'S greatest deaf and hard of hearing male riders will fight it out for the 100m sprint title in the first of Ballarat's 2005 Deaflympics events tomorrow.

The race, which starts at 2pm, is to take in Wendouree Parade, Pleasant St and Mair St.

The sprint is one of four cycling events to be conducted in and around Ballarat.

Over four separate days, 33 international competitors will compete for some of sport's greatest prizes.

Riders will gather at the Avenue of Honour on Saturday for the 32km time trial, before heading to Buninyong for the 100km road race on Monday.

Competition will conclude at Wendouree Parade for the 50km individual points race on Monday.

Victorians will be cheering on Melbourne rider Reece-Emmerson Van Beek, who rides for the Geelong Cycling club.

Van Beek won the prestigious Golden Mile handicap in Bendigo, defeating well known scratch markers Mark French, Shane Kelly and Darren Young.

Queenslander Jarrod Denman, 19, is another Australian hope.

They will have their work cut out for them, however, against cyclists from Italy and the USA, who share a great Deaflympics rivalry.

Meanwhile, American star Paul Wood will be out to win his 10th medal at his fifth Games.

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