Cycle Winner Sets Mark

Shane Kelly of Australia set a world record in the first event in the World Cycling Championships, finishing a kilometer in 1 minute, 0.613 seconds.

“My goal was to break the record, and I did it,” said Kelly, 23, who broke the mark of 1:01.945 set two weeks ago by Spain’s Jose Escudero.

Earlier in the day, three cyclists crashed in a qualifying round, with two of them apparently breaking clavicles.

Jose Maria Lovito of Argentina, Marcelo Beneton of Italy and Toshimasa Yoshioka of Japan collided during a 200-meter race. Dr. Norman Norato said Beneton and Yoshioka, who were taken away with braces immobilizing their upper spinal columns, likely broke their clavicles. Lovito injured an elbow.

More than 800 racers from 77 countries are competing in what is considered the second most prestigious cycling event after the Tour de France.