Cycling - Track UCI Track Champions League

UCI Track Champions League: Katie Archibald, Emma Finucane and Matthew Richardson lead Team GB on opening night

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The 2024 UCI Track Champions League kicked off with a bang in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, as the Paris 2024 Olympics velodrome welcomed back the world’s top track cyclists for a thrilling opening evening of non-stop action, sponsored by CIC. Almost 4,000 spectators watched on as Katie Archibald, Dylan Bibic, Emma Finucane and Matthew Richardson all triumphed.

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Video credit: TNT Sports

Katie Archibald, Dylan Bibic, Emma Finucane and Matthew Richardson all triumphed as the 2024 UCI Track Champions League got underway in France on Saturday - live on discovery+.

Archibald enjoyed a picture-perfect opening night of the season, winning both the women’s Scratch and Elimination races to soar to the top of the women’s Endurance standings, putting her in pole position to defend her title as she impressed on return from injury.

Meanwhile, for Richardson, it was a stunning start to life in GB colours, as he too claimed the maximum 40 points on offer, winning the Sprint and Keirin races.

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Finucane topped off a near-flawless night for Britain, topping the women’s Sprint standings with victory in the sprint and second-place in the Keirin, which was won by an utterly dominant Alina Lysenko (AIN) on her UCI Track Champions League debut.

In the men’s Endurance competition, Bibic came out on top in the Scratch race, claiming fourth place in a hard-fought Elimination race – won in decisive fashion by Will Perrett (Team GB) – enough to put him back in the leader’s jersey and on course to defend his 2023 title.

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HOW THE ACTION UNFOLDED

The packed crowd in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines were treated to an exhilarating start to the medal events, with a women’s Scratch race exploding into action with just six laps to go.

Olivija Baleisyte (LT) took advantage of a lull in pace to burst off the front, building up an advantage of nearly half a lap over the field going into the closing stages of the race.

Anna Morris (Great Britain) reeled her in and looked to have the win in the bag as the final lap began, but team-mate Archibald timed her move to perfection, overtaking Morris down the home straight.

She just held off resurgent rival Anita Stenberg (NOR) to win on her return to UCI Track Champions League action, with Mia Griffin (IRL) taking third place on her debut in the competition.

Archibald wins elimination race to complete ‘magnificent’ opening night

Video credit: TNT Sports

The men’s Scratch race followed the same script, as Bibic got his title defence in the Endurance category off to a dream start.

He triumphed over home favourite Adrien Petit (FRA) in a reduced sprint for the line after a select group of five riders escaped with a handful of laps to go, with the former Scratch UCI world champion Bibic taking the win from Petit and Keegan Hornblow (NZ) in third.

There was a shock in the women’s Elimination as Archibald’s biggest rival, Stenberg, was knocked out relatively early, becoming the tenth rider to exit the race.

Archibald took full advantage of her rival’s elimination to go on to win, doubling up on race victories in Round 1 and bagging the full 40 points available.

Just behind her Yareli Acevedo (MEX) enjoyed a dream debut, going on the attack in the penultimate sprint to knock out Neah Evans (Great Britain).

Finucane beats Bayona for win in women's sprint at Track Champions League

Video credit: TNT Sports

The 17 points for her second placed finish saw Acevedo leap up the Endurance competition standings to second, behind Archibald in prime position and just above Stenberg in third overall.

It was a good start for Bibic in the Men’s Elimination as several of his major rivals were eliminated early, including Petit, Grant Koontz (USA) and Hornblow.

But the Canadian was in trouble several times and finished fourth, with another of his major rivals, Lindsay De Vylder (BEL), coming third.

The home crowd went wild as youngster Oscar Nilsson-Julien (FRA) went head-to-head with Perrett for the win, but the Brit came storming around him in the final lap to claim his first win in the UCI Track Champions League since 2022.

The pair’s brilliant Endurance race saw them round out the podium for the overall, with Nilsson-Julien second behind Bibic after Round 1 and Perrett third.

Women’s Sprint leader and Sprint race winner Finucane said: "I can’t believe it. I didn’t really know where I’d be at coming into this weekend and I just really wanted to enjoy it.

"To be wearing this [blue leader’s jersey] for the first time ever, it’s really cool. I want to take it race by race, focus on each round as it comes and not focus on the outcome, but I’m obviously going to try to keep this for as long as I can!"

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Video credit: TNT Sports

Men’s Sprint leader and Sprint and Keirin race winner Richardson added: "To even get the opportunity to race a rider such as Harrie [Lavreysen], a 16-time UCI world champion, a phenomenal athlete, and to take wins away feels pretty sweet.

"Being in his home court next week is going to be an extra challenge, but if anything, it’ll make me want to win a little bit more.

"It’s amazing [racing and winning in GB colours]. I was really trying to soak in the experience, but when the announcer called my name, representing Great Britain, it was such a special feeling.

"It’s a dream come true really and to win every single race tonight was more than I could have ever wished for."

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