SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, FRANCE (AFP) – The Netherlands’ Harrie Lavreysen stormed to his 10th world track cycling championship gold medal in France on Thursday with a third consecutive men’s keirin title.
The 25-year-old bounced back from the shock disappointment of the Dutchmen’s defeat by Australia in the men’s team sprint final on Wednesday.
Lavreysen beat compatriot and sprint teammate Jeffrey Hoogland into second place, with Colombia’s Kevin Quintero completing the podium.
Two-time Olympic gold medallist Lavreysen will bid for a fourth straight world individual sprint title later this week, with the finals scheduled for the final day tomorrow.
Belgian star Lotte Kopecky powered to victory in the women’s elimination race to win the third track world title of her career.
The 26-year-old has enjoyed a stellar season on the road, winning both the Strade Bianche and Tour of Flanders one-day classics.
Kopecky took silver in the elimination race in Roubaix as part of a three-medal haul at last year’s world championships.
But she went one better at the velodrome which will be used for the 2024 Paris Olympics, edging Italy’s Rachele Barbieri into second.
