Hinze secures women's Sprint title for Track Champions League
Friedrich holds on to second overall while Mitchell secures third
Emma Hinze of Germany won the Women’s Sprint title for the inaugural UCI Track Champions League Saturday night in London at the Lee Valley VeloPark. She held a slight two-point lead over compatriot Lea Friedrich going into the fourth and final round, which was held In front of a sell-out crowd of over 5,500 spectators.
Hinze would seal the overall winning margin of 10 points on the closing night of the weekend doubleheader in London by taking fourth in the Keirin final and winning the Sprint final, while Friedrich failed to reach the Sprint final and finished sixth in the Keirin. Kelsey Mitchell (Canada) finished third overall with 102 points, 26 off the mark set by Hinze.
The two Germans were expected to match up for the Women’s Sprint final, but. Kelsey Mitchell (Canada) beat Friedrich by just 0.11 seconds in the semi-finals to line up against Hinze. After a calculated and steady start, Mitchell made the first big move but was unable to outpace Hinze. The result allowed Hinze to extend her lead, while Friedrich continued to hold a margin over Mitchell.
In the Keirin final, Friedrich was positioned behind the derny and followed by Hinze. In the last two laps, both riders showed signs of fatigue, with the win taken by Olena Starikova (Ukraine) just ahead of Mitchell in second place. Hinze punched the air as she finished third, just ahead of Friedrich, as she realised she would hold onto the overall title.
“I’m really proud that I take the jersey home because it was really close today and I didn’t know how the race would go and how much strength I can find in my body because I’m really, really tired. I think it was harder than the Olympics today because of two days of racing,” said Hinze, a five-time UCI World Champion.
”I’m pretty proud, happy and really satisfied. Of course, my goal was to win but I didn’t know what to expect because I’ve never done it before. I knew it was going to be hard. I just try my best and I don’t think about the overall win, just heat to heat.”
Pos. | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Emma Hinze (Germany) | 128 |
2 | Lea Friedrich (Germany) | 118 |
3 | Kelsey Mitchell (Canada) | 102 |
4 | Martha Bayona Pineda (Colombia) | 86 |
5 | Olena Starikova (Ukraine) | 84 |
6 | Mathilde Gros (France) | 67 |
7 | Simona Krupeckaite (Lithuania) | 60 |
8 | Yana Tyshchenko (Russian Federation) | 60 |
9 | Lauriane Genest (Canada) | 53 |
10 | Miriam Vece (Italy) | 52 |
11 | Mina Sato (Japan) | 47 |
12 | Yuli Paola Verdugo Osuna (Mexico) | 43 |
13 | Riyu Ohta (Japan) | 37 |
14 | Shanne Braspennincx (Netherlands) | 34 |
15 | Sophie Capewell (Great Britain) | 23 |
16 | Anastasiia Voinova (Russian Federation) | 23 |
17 | Laurine van Riessen (Netherlands) | 20 |
18 | Daria Shmeleva (Russian Federation) | 12 |
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Cyclingnews is the world's leader in English-language coverage of professional cycling. Started in 1995 by University of Newcastle professor Bill Mitchell, the site was one of the first to provide breaking news and results over the internet in English. The site was purchased by Knapp Communications in 1999, and owner Gerard Knapp built it into the definitive voice of pro cycling. Since then, major publishing house Future PLC has owned the site and expanded it to include top features, news, results, photos and tech reporting. The site continues to be the most comprehensive and authoritative English voice in professional cycling.
Latest on Cyclingnews
-
Leaked images suggest Fizik is about to release its first ever helmet
First model appears to be an all-rounder, catering to road and gravel -
Santa Vall Gravel tech gallery: A bumper collection of the coolest tech on show at Girona's pro gravel race
The European gravel scene's season opener is a hotbed of new tech trends, cool collaborations and a glimpse at the riders' setups for the season -
Volta ao Algarve 2025 - Analysing the contenders
Classics and GC stars clash in the most stacked of all the early season stage racing tests -
'It’s not been a bad run eh?' – Geraint Thomas announces retirement at end of 2025
Welshman is set to draw the curtain on a storied and successful 19-year career at the Tour of Britain