Archibald takes early lead in women's endurance

Image 1 of 4

Katie Archibald (Great Britain) took the first leader's jersey in the UCI Track Champions League Women's Endurance category, winning the Elimination Race and placing fourth in the Scratch Race.

Archibald leads the series by three points ahead of Canadian Maggie-Coles Lyster who won the Scratch Race. In third is Olivija Baleisyte (Lithuania) four further points adrift.

"In the scratch race I changed my gear strategy, I thought it would be different to what I was used to - 20 laps, I knew that everybody wanted to go out hard. I didn't manage to get those breakaway riders back in the end, but I know that with the Elimination Race if you're willing to go deep you can usually come out on top."

Scratch Race

Watch the UCI Track Champions League LIVE (opens in new tab) on Eurosport and discovery+, brought to you by Discovery Sports Events

Maggie Coles-Lyster (Canada) won the Women's Scratch Race from a three-rider breakaway in the 20km event.

Coles-Lyster went to the front ahead of the final lap and kept the gas on, powering to the finish to win ahead of Olivija Baleisyte (Lithuania), with Hanna Tserakh (Belarus) in third.

Katie Archibald (Great Britain) won the sprint from the bunch ahead of Yumi Kajihara (Japan).

"It's pretty crazy to win the first one here," Coles-Lyster said. "Honestly, I didn't think we'd stay away. When I saw them charging from behind I thought - aaugh - they're going to come over me but then we were 50m from the line and I said they'd better not come over me now, we're right here!"

After a brisk start to the 20-lap race, Coles Lyster (Canada) attacked just ahead of the halfway point and was joined by Hanna Tserakh (Belarus) and Olivija Baleisyte (Lithuania) and by the final kilometre, they still enjoyed half a lap.

Back in the peloton, the pre-race favourites like Katie Archibald and Kristen Wild watched each other and allowed the leaders to hold their gap to the line.

Elimination Race

Archibald put in a dominant ride in the women's Elimination Race, riding away from Kirsten Wild (Netherlands) on the bell lap.

Anita Yvonne Stenberg (Norway) was third.

Coles-Lyster was the first of the favourites to be eliminated with seven riders left to go, as the racing became increasingly aggressive after a controlled start.

Olivija Baleisyte (Lithuania) was the fifth last rider remaining. An attack from Archibald saw Annette Edmondson (Australia) eliminated fourth.