Day 2 Track Worlds: Italy's Paternoster wins first-ever women's rainbow jersey in Elimination race

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Day 2 of the UCI Track World Championships in Roubaix, France crowned champions in five events. The final rainbow jersey awarded on Thursday was the first time a champion had been crowned in the Elimination race for women.

Letizia Paternoster of Italy took the historic winner’s prize, making her move to the front of the race in turn three of final lap. She launched ahead of Lotte Kopecky (Belgium) and held her advantage through the straightaway to the finish line for the gold medal. Kopecky could not overcome the final acceleration of the Italian and rolled across the line on her back wheel for silver. 

The bronze medal would go to Jennifer Valente (United States of America), who was third in the Scratch race on Wednesday.

Italy and Germany defend titles in Team Pursuit

Italy struck gold for a second time in the men's Team Pursuit and Germany in the women's Team Pursuit, both teams having won the top prize at the Tokyo Olympic Games this summer.

The Italian men backed up their Olympic gold with the world title in Roubaix on Thursday, comprised in the final of  Liam Bertazzo, Simone Consonni, Filippo Ganna and Jonathan Milan. 

The silver medal went to the French team of Thomas Boudat, Thomas Denis, Valentin Tabellion and Benjamin Thomas. 

Great Britain took advantage of mistakes by Denmark, who fell apart in the final round and could not stay together, and won the bronze medal with Ethan Hayter, Ethan Vernon, Charlie Tanfield and Oliver Wood. 

It was the first World title in the Men’s Team Pursuit for Italy in 24 years, last taking the title in back-to-back years in 1997 in Perth and 1996 in Manchester.

“We listened to people at the track for support of the French, but we believed all race to the last metre [in our ability] and we are very happy. Obviously, this rainbow jersey, after 25 [sic] years and in the same year as the gold medal in the Olympics is really important for us,” Ganna said at the conclusion of the race.

For France, it was the first time back on the podium in the discipline since a bronze in 2000 in Manchester. Hayter, Tanfield and Emadi and Wood were four of the five riders on the British team who won silver in 2019. 

Germany won its second team gold in two days, holding off Italy in the Women’s Team Pursuit. The German trio of Franziska Brausse, Lisa Brennauer and Laura Seussemilch made up time after the first 1,000 metres to keep the lead at the end for a dominant win. Mieke Kroeger was part of the four-rider team to be awarded the gold. The Italian squad was comprised of reigning road World Champion Elisa Balsamo, Martina Alzini, Chiara Consonni and Martina Fidanza.

It was the first time Germany has won the Team Pursuit gold at the World Championships, having won two bronze medals in the past 14 years. Like the Italian men, the German women also won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games, that team which included Brausse, Brennauer, and Kroeger.

The bronze medal matchup between Great Britain and Canada was taken by Great Britain, represented in the final by Katie Archibald, Megan Barker and Josie Knight.

Frenchman Grondin wins Scratch, Dutchman Lavreysen wins Keirin

France took its first gold medal of their home World Championships in the men’s Scratch race with Donavan Grondin (France). He started his sprint around the final turn and held off a charging peloton, with Tuur Dens (Germany) in second and Rhys Britton (Great Britain) in third. 

In the men’s Keirin, the Dutch duo of Harrie Lavreysen and Jeffrey Hoogland doubled up to finish one-two. Lavreysen defended his rainbow jersey and took the win by a bike length over Hoogland. The bronze medal went to Mikhail Iakovlev (Russian Cycling Federation).

Women's Elimination Race

Women's Team Pursuit Final

Men's Team Pursuit Final

Men's Scratch Race Final

Men's Keirin Final