2024 UCI TRACK CYCLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, COPENHAGEN, DENMARK

Paris Olympic double medallist, Ally Wollaston has made medal-winning start to her campaign at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Denmark today.

The 23-year-old has made a quick transition from her professional road race duties to claim the bronze medal in the women’s 10km scratch race on the opening day of the championships at the Ballerup Arena in Copenhagen.

Wollaston, who has just completed her season with the AG-Insurance-Soudal road cycling team, made the quick transition back to the track for a busy schedule this week, set to compete in four events at the championships.

The Waikato professional began strongly, forced to help ride down a break in the back, and then ensuring she stayed near the front of the pack.

Wollaston moved forward over the closing laps, with European road race champion Lorena Wiebes (NED) claiming the sprint ahead of multi-world champion Jennifer Valente (USA) with Wollaston sprinting clear of the pack to claim third.

The leaders averaged just a tick under 50kph for the 40-lap contest.

“Getting third in my first race is a great start. I’ve not been on the track since the Olympics so I am, really happy with my performance today,” said Wollaston.

“I am feeling super-fit from the road and I think it carries over quite nicely. It is definitely different to my build-up for the Olympics but an interesting project to try out with a different lead-in.

“It was the first time I have ridden a stand-alone scratch race. I have done it as part of the omnium for the last two or three years and it was quite a different dynamic and exciting to be part of. I probably did not time my sprint perfectly but I have some more opportunities throughout the week.”

Tomorrow Wollaston competes in the Elimination race, followed by the four-discipline Omnium on Saturday (NZ time) and Points race on Monday while teammate Bryony Botha contests the Individual Pursuit on Sunday.