Day four of the UCI Track World Championships in Hong Kong saw history made with Belgium crowned the first world champions of the women’s madison. Russia dominated the sprint events with victory in the men’s individual sprint, and gold and bronze in the women’s 500-meter time trial.
Chloe Dygert (USA) showed that she is a force to be reckoned with after blasting to victory in the women’s individual pursuit, while France’s Benjamin Thomas scored a hard-won victory in a tense finale to the men’s omnium.
The first medals of the day were awarded in the women’s 500 metre time trial. Two-time defending champion Anastasiis Voinova set the benchmark in qualifying during the morning session, but it was her teammate Daria Shmeleva who dug deep to improve her time on the effort that mattered to win the gold medal, while Voinova claimed third. It is Shmeleva’s second gold of the competition after winning the team sprint with Voinova earlier in the week. Germany’s Miriam Welte, who failed to medal last season, slotted herself between the two Russians in the silver medal position.
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After Archibald won the women’s omnium on day three, it was the turn of the male endurance riders to test their form in the new four-event competition. None of last year’s medallists were on the start line but that wouldn’t stop it from being a thrilling battle between the field. Spain’s Albert Torres set his stall out early with victory in the opening round of the scratch race and second in the following tempo race. After a disappointing start, Aaron Gate put himself back in the game by beating Torres in the tempo event.
Following the tempo, the omnium took a break until they picked things up again with the elimination race in the evening session. It would be a crash packed return to action for the peloton, for Poland’s Szymon Sajnok in particular who hit the deck twice during the competition, dropping him down the standings overall. Gate was another big loser, finishing just 10th, while Australia’s Sam Welsford put on a good show to take the maximum points.
The points race would once again prove the decider, and after losing out in the elimination race, Gate took the event by the horns and attacked whenever he could. Gate looked like he might just make the jump from fifth up to first, and even had some help from Welsford, but the ever-consistent Thomas – who had begun the final event in second place – launched a long-range sprint on the final lap to take enough points to seal victory by just two points. Gate had to settle for second place, while Torres dropped from first ahead of the points race to third place. Gate and Welsford would later be given a warning from the commissaires for collusion.
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