New Zealand has added two silver medals to its tally on the second night of the junior world track cycling championships in Invercargill tonight.

Waimate's Dylan Kennett took .7sec off his personal best on the way to setting a New Zealand junior record in the men's 1km time trial.

His 1:02.957 effort looked good for New Zealand's first gold medal at this year's event, and BikeNZ's first since 2009, but he was pipped by Australian rider Zachary Shaw (1:02.303), with Czech rider Jakub Vyvoda third in 1:03.906.

''I was aiming for a sub-1:03 and I'm happy to do it, it's something to be proud of but I take the attitude that winning is everything,'' Kennett said.

''I really wanted the rainbow jersey...but I'm obviously happy to pull out that time in front of this crowd.''

Kennett is now extra-motivated to ride well in the individual pursuit on Saturday before teaming up with Hayden McCormick in the madison on Sunday.

Alexandra's Sophie Williamson improved on the bronze medal she won in the women's 20km points race in Moscow 12 months ago with a silver behind outstanding Australian Taylah Jennings.

''She played it to her strengths, just waiting for the sprints and I like to make it more a hard race and attack but no one really wanted to help me,'' Williamson said.

''I'm pretty pleased with how I went.''

Jennings has now won four world junior titles over the past two years, including the omnium and team pursuit in Moscow and the team pursuit and points race in Invercargill.

Invercargill's Kate Dunlevey finished sixth, and Cantebury's Victoria Steel seventh in the ride off for the minor placings in the women's sprint.

Aucklander Paige Paterson will compete in the semifinals tonight.

Meanwhile, Belarus rider Anton Muzychkin led a brave breakaway to claim the gold medal in the men's 10km scratch race, with his fellow conspirators Jordan Parra Arias (Colombia) and Robert Gaineyev (Kazakhstan) taking silver and bronze respectively.

New Zealand's Hamish Schreurs was ninth.

Canterbury's Tayla Harrison is eighth at the halfway stage of the six-event men's omnium.

- © Fairfax NZ News