German Teammwork Stops Nothstein

Marty Nothstein of the U.S. came up short in his bid for a second Olympic medal after the Germans used team tactics to block him in the Keirin.

He finished in fifth place, one night after winning gold in the men’s match sprint.

The Keirin gold medal went to Florian Rousseau of France.

Gary Neiwand of Australia won the silver and Jens Fiedler of Germany, with help from teammate Jan van Eijden, won bronze.

“They wanted one of their guys to win,” Nothstein said.

“If that means slowing down the other riders, then that’s what happens. We had some medals handed out because of teamwork.”

In the Keirin, cyclists draft behind a rider who gradually accelerates to 30 mph. When about two laps remain, the pacer leaves the track and cyclists sprint 500 meters to the finish.

In the 25-kilometer women’s points race, Antonella Bellutti of Italy won the gold with 19 points.

The silver went to Leontien Zijlaard of the Netherlands and Olga Slyussareva of Russia won the bronze. Erin Veenstra-Mirabella of Colorado Springs, Colo., placed 10th.

Australia got its first cycling gold of the Sydney Olympics when Scott McGrory and Brett Aitken won the Madison, a frenzied 60-kilometer relay where riders use handslings to go in and out of competition.