France's defending world champion Gregory Bauge drew first blood in the battle for men's sprint supremacy when he dominated qualifying at the world track cycling championships Saturday.
Bauge clocked a fastest time of 9.896sec for the flying 200m start to push Sir Chris Hoy, the Olympic champion who missed the worlds last year through injury, down into second place after the Scot timed 9.913.
Australian Shane Perkins was third at 9.948 while Kevin Sireau, who won bronze behind Bauge and Azizulhasni Awang of Malaysia in the competition last year, clocked 9.953.
The flying 200m is a good indicator of form for the men's sprint tournament, which continues with first and second rounds before the quarter-finals then semi-finals Saturday.
The men's finals will be held on Sunday.
Hoy, a four-time Olympic champion, won his 10th career world crown on Thursday when he dominated the keirin tournament.
So far that win is Britain's only gold of the five day competition, which on Saturday will also host the women's omnium and sprint and the men's Madison.
Source: AFP Global Edition
