World champion Jason Kenny's chances of representing Britain in the Olympic sprint suffered a blow Sunday after he was ousted from track cycling's most prestigious event at the World Cup.
Kenny, a silver medal winner behind teammate Sir Chris Hoy in Beijing, is currently battling Hoy for Britain's sole sprint place at the London Games this summer.
While Kenny was recently awarded the world title in track's most coveted event after Frenchman Gregory Bauge was stripped of the 2011 title for a doping rule misdemeanour, he suffered a 2-0 quarter-final defeat to Germany's Maximilian Levy in this Olympic test event.
Hoy, who took the keirin gold here on Friday, meanwhile boosted his Olympic selection hopes after dispatching Bauge 2-1 in a thrilling third leg decider which had to be restarted after the Frenchman made an infringement during a tense track stand.
Bauge and Kevin Sireau are also vying for the sole sprint spot, for France, and the latter did his chances no harm when he advanced to the last four after easily accounting for Britain's Matt Crampton 2-0.
Robert Forstemann was the second German through after he beat Kazunari Watanabe of Japan 2-0.
New Olympic rules mean only one rider per nation can compete in each of the five Olympic track cycling events.
Hoy and Kenny have been vying for the sole sprinters' slot on the Britain team but their internal duel is not expected to be settled until the world championships in Melbourne in April.
If successful in his selection bid, Hoy will have a chance at defending all three Olympic titles in the sprint, keirin and team sprint.
In the men's semi-finals later Sunday Hoy will meet Forstemann while Sireau will race against Levy.
Source: AFP Global Edition
