UCI TRACK CYCLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ROUBAIX – VANTAGE NZ TEAM DAY 1 WRAP
Vantage New Zealand team riders Corbin Strong and Ally Wollaston scored top-10 finishes at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Roubaix, France.
Strong, the Tokyo Olympian on the track and defending world champion, finished seventh in the 40km points race over 160 laps of the STAB Velodrome.
He began strongly winning the opening sprint, determined every 10 laps, and collected points in six of the first eight laps before numerous breaks led to laps gained on the field. Strong appeared to be in a group that gained a lap but he and the Italian rider were not awarded the 20 bonus points, which would have put him into bronze medal contention.
“There did seem some confusion with that lap but to be honest I didn’t have the condition to pull off a top result and the best guy won the race,” said Strong. “It helped those who had the European Champs a couple of weeks ago but that was no excuse. I didn’t have the legs today but I gave it everything I had.
“My legs are pretty sore so I need to rest up tomorrow and prepare to return and give it my best with Gatey in the madison.”
Tokyo Olympic medallist and recent European champion, Benjamin Thomas won on his home track to the delight of the French fans. He finished with 94 points, overtaking early leader Kenny de Ketele (BEL) for the title.
The 20-year-old Wollaston, who has been racing for a Dutch team on the road this year, finished 10th in the four-event omnium in her first venture to an elite world championship and first time back on the boards since early in the year.
The 2019 junior world pursuit champion was conservative in the bunch races placing 11th in the scratch race, 17th in the tempo race and 13th in the elimination to be 15th overall going into the points race. However, she showed her strength, gaining a lap on the field and figuring in a number of breaks to finish equal third in the points race which lifted her to 10th overall.
“I was disappointed with the bunch races with my tactics and a lack of confidence. It put me back in a place I did not want to be. The points race is more dependent on how strong you are, rather than how confident you are. I am really proud how I raced that final points race. It’s good to know I had the engine.
“I left it all out on the track. I have been watching these girls for years, so to be on the track beside them is an experience I won’t forget. To be able to race in this pandemic is an experience and I don’t think any world campaign will be the same as this again.”
Tomorrow Wollaston joins the experienced Michaela Drummond in the two-person madison, with Aaron Gate taking part in the omnium.
The championships are broadcast live on Sky Sport.
Results:
Women Omnium, scratch race: Katie Archibald (GBR) 1, Jennifer Valente (USA) 2, Clara Copponi (FRA) 3. Also: Ally Wollaston (NZL) 11. Tempo race: Archibald 34 points, 1; Ganna Solovei (UR) 24, 2; Lotte Kopecky (BEL) 21, 3. Also: Wollaston 17. Elimination: Archibald 1, Elisa Balsamo (ITA) 2, Copponi 3. Also: Wollaston 13. Points: Kopecky 48 points, 1; Amalie Didericksen (DEN) 27, 2; Wollaston and Maria Martens (POR) 24, equal 3.
Overall: Archibald 137, 1; Kopecky 119, 2; Elisa Balsamo (ITA) 116, 3. Also: Wollaston 68, 10.
Men Points race, 40kms: Benjamin Thomas (FRA) 94 points, 1; Kenny de Ketele (BEL) 84, 2; Vincent Hoppezak (NED) 35, 3. Also: Corbin Strong (NZL) 14, 7.
AUDIO: Audio with Corbin Strong and Ally Wollaston.
CAPTION: Ally Wollaston in action at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships. (Credit Robert Jones).