UCI Track Champions League 2021 – 3 – London

December 3, 2021

UCI Track Champions League 2021 – 3 – London – London

The Track Champions League (TCL) is a brand new event looking to revolutionise and revive the sport of track cycling. With a focus on fast-paced, easy-to-understand races, this event is perfect for newcomers to the sport, as well as diehard fans. The league comprises five international rounds held over five action-packed weeks. Each round/competition sees 36 men and 36 women racing against one another in four different events, two Endurance races and two Sprint races. Riders earn points through their results in these events. Points accumulate over the five weeks and, at the end, those with the most will be declared the winners of their respective Sprint League or Endurance League. Whatsmore, prize money for both men and women across the competitions is equal!

Katie Archibald delighted the home crowd in London during round three of the Track Champions League with an unexpected and rousing performance in the Elimination Race to win ahead of Kirsten Wild (Netherlands) and Annette Edmondson (Australia).

The Briton thrilled the crowd by playing the dangerous game of sitting at the back to save energy and then accelerating to escape being eliminated on most of the 18 sprints. She very nearly lost out with 15 riders still in the race but narrowly snuck past as Kendall Ryan (USA) missed out instead.

She dangled at the back until there were three riders left: her, Wild and Edmondson and strangely dropped back and up the banking. Her strategy became quite clear when she put out a fierce acceleration to first blast by Edmondson and then attack to leave Wild behind and take the win. Archibald credited the British fans for giving her the energy to pull off her victory.

“Every bit was needed, I don’t have the speed on Kirsten tonight but thankfully I had the crowd,” she said. “As soon as I saw how it stacked out in the scratch race, I was seeing her riding on the front and was saying from six laps out ‘you’re going to have to go’. It’s horrible because you’re in total agony and you have to pretend it’s a walk in the park and hope the elastic snaps.”

The win comes after Wild dominated the sprint in the Scratch Race by leading out for more than a lap and then holding off Portugal’s Maria Martins with Archibald in third.

Archibald heads into the now-final round on Saturday with a commanding lead of 108 points to Edmondson’s 73. Wild is a close third with 72. With 40 points awarded to the winner, there is still room for Wild, Edmondson and Canada’s Maggie Coles-Lyster to unseat the British rider.

Women’s Scratch Race
1 Kirsten Wild (Netherlands)
2 Maria Martins (Portugal)
3 Katie Archibald (Great Britain)
4 Anita Yvonne Stenberg (Norway)
5 Annette Edmondson (Australia)
6 Tania Calvo (Spain)
7 Silvia Zanardi (Italy)
8 Olivija Baleisyte (Lithuania)
9 Yumi Kajihara (Japan)
10 Eukene Larrarte (Spain)
11 Emily Kay (Ireland)
12 Alzbeta Bacikova (Slovakia)
13 Hanna Tserakh (Belarus)
14 Maggie Coles-Lyster (Canada)
15 Gulnaz Khatuntseva (Russian Federation)
16 Kendall Ryan (United States Of America)
17 Karolina Karasiewicz (Poland)
18 Michelle Andres (Switzerland)

Women’s Elimination Race
1 Katie Archibald (Great Britain)
2 Kirsten Wild (Netherlands)
3 Annette Edmondson (Australia)
4 Yumi Kajihara (Japan)
5 Olivija Baleisyte (Lithuania)
6 Silvia Zanardi (Italy)
7 Karolina Karasiewicz (Poland)
8 Maggie Coles-Lyster (Canada)
9 Emily Kay (Ireland)
10 Michelle Andres (Switzerland)
11 Gulnaz Khatuntseva (Russian Federation)
12 Hanna Tserakh (Belarus)
13 Anita Yvonne Stenberg (Norway)
14 Eukene Larrarte (Spain)
15 Kendall Ryan (United States Of America)
16 Tania Calvo (Spain)
17 Alzbeta Bacikova (Slovakia)
18 Maria Martins (Portugal)

Women’s Endurance Standings after Round 3
1 Katie Archibald (Great Britain) 108
2 Annette Edmondson (Australia) 73
3 Kirsten Wild (Netherlands) 72
4 Maggie Coles-Lyster (Canada) 70
5 Anita Yvonne Stenberg (Norway) 66
6 Olivija Baleisyte (Lithuania) 63
7 Silvia Zanardi (Italy) 51
8 Yumi Kajihara (Japan) 48
9 Maria Martins (Portugal) 43
10 Emily Kay (Ireland) 34
11 Hanna Tserakh (Belarus) 29
12 Tania Calvo (Spain) 28
13 Michelle Andres (Switzerland) 21
14 Karolina Karasiewicz (Poland) 20
15 Kendall Ryan (United States Of America) 19
16 Eukene Larrarte (Spain) 18
17 Gulnaz Khatuntseva (Russian Federation) 12
18 Alzbeta Bacikova (Slovakia) 11

Sebastian Mora (Spain) held onto his lead in the UCI Track Champions League with a pair of third places in the Scratch Race and Elimination Race, carrying 89 points into Saturday’s final round in London. However, he faces a strong challenge from Gavin Hoover (United States), who claimed an emphatic victory in the Elimination Race.

Hoover had been sitting third overall, but rode a flawless Elimination Race to make the final three, then dispatched both Mora and Poland’s Alan Banaszek take his first victory in the series.

Round 1 winner Corbin Strong held onto third at 68 points despite a lacklustre ride in both events.

“I’ve had a few close ones and I finally got the win,” Hoover said. “With the elimination you don’t think about the next one you just keep going and see what happens. I think Sebastian is one of the best in the world and has been for a long time, but we’ll see what happens tomorrow.”

A late attack got away in the Scratch Race, with Claudio Imhof (Switzerland) taking the win and Japan’s Kazushige Kuboki beating Mora in the sprint. Hoover placed fifth.

Men’s Endurance Standings
1 Sebastian Mora (Spain) 89
2 Gavin Hoover (United States Of America) 84
3 Corbin Strong (New Zealand) 68
4 Rhys Britton (Great Britain) 59
5 Kelland O’Brien (Australia) 57
6 Iuri Leitao (Portugal) 56
7 Aaron Gate (New Zealand) 54
8 Kazushige Kuboki (Japan) 49
9 Alan Banaszek (Poland) 48
10 Michele Scartezzini (Italy) 47
11 Claudio Imhof (Switzerland) 45
12 Roy Eefting (Netherlands) 36
13 Erik Martorell Haga (Spain) 31
14 Josh Charlton (Great Britain) 17
15 Ed Clancy (Great Britain) 9
16 Rotem Tene (Israel) 9
17 Yacine Chalel (Algeria) 8
18 William Tidball (Great Britain) 5

Men’s Scratch Race
1 Claudio Imhof (Switzerland)
2 Kazushige Kuboki (Japan)
3 Sebastian Mora (Spain)
4 Rhys Britton (Great Britain)
5 Gavin Hoover (United States Of America)
6 Aaron Gate (New Zealand)
7 William Tidball (Great Britain)
8 Kelland O’Brien (Australia)
9 Michele Scartezzini (Italy)
10 Corbin Strong (New Zealand)
11 Iuri Leitao (Portugal)
12 Alan Banaszek (Poland)
13 Roy Eefting (Netherlands)
14 Ed Clancy (Great Britain)
15 Erik Martorell Haga (Spain)
16 Rotem Tene (Israel)
17 Yacine Chalel (Algeria)
18 Josh Charlton (Great Britain)

Men’s Elimination Race
1 Gavin Hoover (United States Of America)
2 Alan Banaszek (Poland)
3 Sebastian Mora (Spain)
4 Erik Martorell Haga (Spain)
5 Claudio Imhof (Switzerland)
6 Michele Scartezzini (Italy)
7 Kelland O’Brien (Australia)
8 Rhys Britton (Great Britain)
9 Iuri Leitao (Portugal)
10 William Tidball (Great Britain)
11 Corbin Strong (New Zealand)
12 Roy Eefting (Netherlands)
13 Aaron Gate (New Zealand)
14 Yacine Chalel (Algeria)
15 Ed Clancy (Great Britain)
16 Rotem Tene (Israel)
17 Josh Charlton (Great Britain)
18 Kazushige Kuboki (Japan)

Men’s Sprint Standings
1 Harrie Lavreysen (Netherlands) 110
2 Stefan Botticher (Germany) 96
3 Vasilijus Lendel (Lithuania) 64
4 Nicholas Paul (Trinidad & Tabago) 56
5 Mikhail Iakovlev (Russian Federation) 52
6 Jeffrey Hoogland (Netherlands) 47
7 Rayan Helal (France) 43
8 Denis Dmitriev (Russian Federation) 40
9 Kevin Santiago Quintero Chavarro (Colombia) 39
10 Tom Derache (France) 36
11 Jai Angsuthasawit (Thailand) 29
12 Hugo Barrette (Canada) 29
13 Mateusz Rudyk (Poland) 28
14 Maximilian Levy (Germany) 27
15 Jordan Castle (New Zealand) 20
16 Jair Tjon en Fa (Suriname) 17
17 Kento Yamasaki (Japan) 15
18 Jean Spies (South Africa) 10

Men’s Sprint Round 1 – Heat 1
1 Vasilijus Lendel (Lithuania)
2 Mikhail Iakovlev (Russian Federation)
3 Jean Spies (South Africa)

Men’s Sprint Round 1 – Heat 2
1 Tom Derache (France)
2 Maximilian Levy (Germany)
3 Nicholas Paul (Trinidad & Tabago)

Men’s Sprint Round 1 – Heat 3
1 Denis Dmitriev (Russian Federation)
2 Hugo Barrette (Canada)

Men’s Sprint Round 1 – Heat 4
1 Stefan Botticher (Germany)
2 Jordan Castle (New Zealand)
3 Kento Yamasaki (Japan)

Men’s Sprint Round 1 – Heat 5
1 Harrie Lavreysen (Netherlands)
2 Jai Angsuthasawit (Thailand)
3 Mateusz Rudyk (Poland)

Men’s Sprint Round 2 – Heat 1
1 Harrie Lavreysen (Netherlands)
2 Jair Tjon en Fa (Suriname)
3 Denis Dmitriev (Russian Federation)

Men’s Sprint Round 2 – Heat 2
1 Stefan Botticher (Germany)
2 Vasilijus Lendel (Lithuania)
3 Tom Derache (France)

Men’s Sprint Final
1 Harrie Lavreysen (Netherlands)
2 Stefan Botticher (Germany)

Men’s Keirin Round 1 – Heat 1
1 Harrie Lavreysen (Netherlands)
2 Jair Tjon en Fa (Suriname)
3 Rayan Helal (France)
4 Jai Angsuthasawit (Thailand)
5 Kevin Santiago Quintero Chavarro (Colombia)
6 Mateusz Rudyk (Poland)

Men’s Keirin Round 1 – Heat 2
1 Harrie Lavreysen (Netherlands)
2 Jair Tjon en Fa (Suriname)
3 Rayan Helal (France)
4 Jai Angsuthasawit (Thailand)
5 Kevin Santiago Quintero Chavarro (Colombia)
6 Mateusz Rudyk (Poland)

Men’s Keirin Round 1 – Heat 3
1 Nicholas Paul (Trinidad & Tabago)
2 Maximilian Levy (Germany)
3 Tom Derache (France)
4 Hugo Barrette (Canada)
REL Denis Dmitriev (Russian Federation)

Men’s Keirin Final
1 Stefan Botticher (Germany)
2 Vasilijus Lendel (Lithuania)
3 Jair Tjon en Fa (Suriname)
4 Harrie Lavreysen (Netherlands)
5 Maximilian Levy (Germany)
6 Nicholas Paul (Trinidad & Tabago)

Women’s Sprint Standings
Pos. Rider Name (Country) Team Result
1 Emma Hinze (Germany) 95
2 Lea Friedrich (Germany) 93
3 Kelsey Mitchell (Canada) 68
4 Martha Bayona Pineda (Colombia) 62
5 Mathilde Gros (France) 57
6 Yana Tyshchenko (Russian Federation) 54
7 Olena Starikova (Ukraine) 51
8 Simona Krupeckaite (Lithuania) 44
9 Lauriane Genest (Canada) 43
10 Miriam Vece (Italy) 38
11 Mina Sato (Japan) 35
12 Shanne Braspennincx (Netherlands) 34
13 Yuli Paola Verdugo Osuna (Mexico) 29
14 Riyu Ohta (Japan) 25
15 Laurine van Riessen (Netherlands) 20
16 Anastasiia Voinova (Russian Federation) 18
17 Sophie Capewell (Great Britain) 12
18 Daria Shmeleva (Russian Federation) 8

Women’s Sprint Round 1 – Heat 1
1 Emma Hinze (Germany)
2 Miriam Vece (Italy)
3 Sophie Capewell (Great Britain)

Women’s Sprint Round 1 – Heat 2
1 Lea Friedrich (Germany)
2 Mina Sato (Japan)
3 Daria Shmeleva (Russian Federation)

Women’s Sprint Round 1 – Heat 3
1 Kelsey Mitchell (Canada)
2 Simona Krupeckaite (Lithuania)
3 Anastasiia Voinova (Russian Federation)

Women’s Sprint Round 1 – Heat 4
1 Olena Starikova (Ukraine)
2 Lauriane Genest (Canada)
3 Riyu Ohta (Japan)

Women’s Sprint Round 1 – Heat 5
1 Yana Tyshchenko (Russian Federation)
2 Martha Bayona Pineda (Colombia)

Women’s Sprint Round 1 – Heat 6
1 Mathilde Gros (France)
2 Yuli Paola Verdugo Osuna (Mexico)

Women’s Sprint Round 2 – Heat 1
1 Emma Hinze (Germany)
2 Olena Starikova (Ukraine)
3 Mathilde Gros (France)

Women’s Sprint Round 2 – Heat 2
1 Lea Friedrich (Germany)
2 Yana Tyshchenko (Russian Federation)
3 Kelsey Mitchell (Canada)

Women’s Sprint Final
1 Emma Hinze (Germany)
2 Lea Friedrich (Germany)

Women’s Keirin Round 1 – Heat 1
1 Mathilde Gros (France)
2 Miriam Vece (Italy)
3 Sophie Capewell (Great Britain)
DNF Emma Hinze (Germany)
DNF Lauriane Genest (Canada)
DNS Shanne Braspennincx (Netherlands)

Women’s Keirin Round 1 – Heat 2
1 Lea Friedrich (Germany)
2 Martha Bayona Pineda (Colombia)
3 Mina Sato (Japan)
4 Yana Tyshchenko (Russian Federation)
5 Yuli Paola Verdugo Osuna (Mexico)
6 Daria Shmeleva (Russian Federation)

Women’s Keirin Round 1 – Heat 3
1 Olena Starikova (Ukraine)
2 Simona Krupeckaite (Lithuania)
3 Kelsey Mitchell (Canada)
4 Riyu Ohta (Japan)
5 Anastasiia Voinova (Russian Federation)
DNS Laurine van Riessen (Netherlands)

Women’s Keirin Final
1 Lea Friedrich (Germany)
2 Martha Bayona Pineda (Colombia)
3 Simona Krupeckaite (Lithuania)
4 Mathilde Gros (France)
5 Miriam Vece (Italy)
6 Olena Starikova (Ukraine)