The next big track event is nearly upon us, with the UCI Track Champions League to be broadcast on SBS On Demand from November 7.
The track world championships at the STAB velodrome in Roubaix, France certainly did not disappoint despite their scheduling relatively soon after the Tokyo Olympics. What might have been a down year as track programs around the world reset their sights for the next Olympic cycle turned out to be anything but, with thrilling, top-quality racing every session.
Here are the top six women’s races from the event, with highlights for you to catch-up on the action if you missed, with full replays of the competition also available via SBS On Demand. There's also a top five for the men's, only top-six here, because I couldn't decide which one to leave out!
1. Women’s Madison
A tough, tactical battle in the women’s Madison was fought all the way down to the final sprint, with Kristin Wild and Amy Pieters taking out the rainbows as the best team. It was to be the final world title in the glittering career of Wild, who retired from professional cycling after the event with nine world championships titles to her name.
2. Women’s Sprint
Emma Hinze is perhaps the best female sprinter in the world at the moment and she had to prove it against her countrywoman Lea Friedrich, who pushed her all the way in the final. The last sprint to recover a few lengths in the final lap and round Friedrich was particularly memorable.
3. Women’s Points Race
In a see-sawing tactical affair, all eyes were on Wild and whether she could send her career out on a high in a field that also contained Omnium world champion Katie Archibald, Olympic gold medallist Jennifer Valente, and nearly woman of so many races, Lotte Kopecky.
In the end, it was Kopecky who emerged from the wheels to reign supreme, impressively attacking immediately after taking a lap to chase down Archibald and ensure victory before the final sprint, celebrating as she crossed the line.
4. Women’s Sprint
There was only one world record set at this year’s world championships and it came in the women’s sprint, with the dominant German women’s team rightly the world’s best.
The record was lessened slightly by the fact that this is the first world championships where the event has been expanded from two riders to three, but there was no doubting the dominance of the German women with the formidable Chinese team not at the championships.
5. Women’s Individual Pursuit
There’s a reason that the German team pursuit team is so good… turns out they have a superb bunch of individual pursuit riders that make up the whole!
A clean sweep of the medals underlined this, with Lisa Brennauer leading the way and going within a second of breaking the world record in the process. It was an emotional moment on the podium as well, with the three sharing the top step as the anthem played, with Brennauer wiping away tears of joy.
6. Women's Keirin + 500-metre TT
I'm cheating here I know, both adding an extra number and in addition, it's two events! I couldn't leave out the achievements of the young German however.
To confirm the German women’s team dominance of the sprint events, Lea Friedrich produced a great ride to win the 500m TT, looking almost in shock when she realised that she won. Then, when the rest of the team got sick and had to withdraw from the Keirin, it was the 21-year-old who stepped up again as she put in a commanding performance at the front of the field from start to finish.
Notable Others:
If you like bold, late attacks, then Martina Fidanza’s effort to win the scratch race will be right up your alley!
The Women’s Team Pursuit saw Germany claim the Olympics/world championships double, but it was a bit down on the impressive times that they set at the Games, times were down across the field.
From an Australian perspective, it was a forgettable event, with only five athletes in competition for the Australians due to curtailed AusCycling travel to international events brought about by COVID-19 related travel restrictions. Solid performances in the women’s madison by Georgia Baker and Alex Manly saw the pair claim sixth, while Lucas Plapp and Kell O’Brien were good for eighth in the men’s madison.
Check out this interview with Annette Edmondson to find out what he was thinking ahead of the championships, she didn’t qualify out the heats for the women’s Omnium in her only event of the championships.
