UCI Track Nations Cup Day 3: Medal for Josie Knight

Josie Knight secured her second medal of the UCI Track Nations Cup in Glasgow with a brilliant bronze in the individual pursuit, while Katie Archibald’s omnium heroics came to a premature end after crashing out in the final race while leading the overall standings.

UCI Track Nations Cup Day 3: Medal for Josie Knight

Women’s individual pursuit
Knight claimed the bronze medal in the individual pursuit after qualifying fourth behind Anna Morris (Team Wales), just two days after winning silver in the women’s team pursuit. She secured her first major individual medal with a gutsy ride to make it onto the podium, posting 3:27.561 in the bronze final – half a second quicker than Morris.

She said: “I’m absolutely delighted. I broke my elbow five weeks ago now and I wasn’t expecting to even be here two weeks ago. “To come and ride the team pursuit and get silver was a bonus and then I thought that I’d do the individual pursuit because one of my goals is the Commonwealth Games and I just wanted to get some experience. To qualify fourth, I didn’t expect that, and then to beat Anna in the final when she’d gone a second and a half quicker than me in qualifying – I’m absolutely chuffed.”

“The crowd have been absolutely amazing. I fast forwarded into the Olympics team and got an Olympic silver and then I went to my first worlds after that and got my first medal, so to medal at my first Nations Cup, and get my first major individual medal at home, is extra special.”

Women’s omnium
Omnium world champion Archibald suffered a heavy fall in the final points race of the omnium, where she was leading with 102 points, to end her chances of a medal. A tough start to the evening saw Archibald finish 11th in the scratch, but she came back strongly in the tempo race, lapping the field to secure herself the top spot with 28 points.

The Scot backed up her strength with a tactical win in the elimination, delighting her home crowd and progressing to the final race four points ahead of her nearest challenger. But 20 laps into the points race, Archibald crashed after a touch of wheels in a sprint lap and the race was subsequently neutralised. Unfortunately she was unable to continue but walked off the track to a standing ovation. Japanese rider Yumi Kajihara then took the victory with 101 points.

Women’s 500m time trial
Lauren Bate qualified seventh fastest in the women’s 500m time trial with a personal best time of 34.095, while team sprint bronze medallist Emma Finucane (Team Wales) qualified eighth in 34.107. Both rode strongly in the final to finish in the same places they qualified in, while Martha Pineda Bayona of Colombia took the gold.

Men’s keirin
Jack Carlin was pipped on the line by world champion and eventual winner Harrie Lavreysen to go through to the repechages in the keirin, and the double Olympic medallist was then rolled by French rider Rayan Helal to just miss out on qualifying for the second round. Team-mates Joe Truman and Hamish Turnball also missed out on qualifying after finishing second in their repechages.

Men’s Madison
Great Britain had two pairs in the men’s Madison final, with Oliver Wood and Will Tidball of Team Inspired having a strong start, claiming five points in the first three sprint laps, while Ethan Vernon and Olympic omnium champion Matt Walls secured two wins to put themselves in a good spot at the halfway point.

However the power of the French duo Thomas Boudat and Ben Thomas proved the strongest of the day and took the victory with 66 points. Team Inspired finished in eighth overall, while Vernon and Walls finished 10th. The event concludes tomorrow with medals up for grabs in the men’s sprint, men’s omnium, women’s keirin, and women’s Madison. The afternoon session, covering each of the four finals, will once again be broadcast live on the BBC iPlayer and Red Button.