Lorena Wiebes takes sensational Scratch Race title on debut as Emma Finucane guides Britain to Women's Team Sprint gold
By Matt Jones
Updated 17/10/2024 at 08:41 GMT+1
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It was a golden night for Great Britain as the UCI Track World Championships got underway. The Women's Team Sprint trio of Sophie Capewell, Katy Marchant and Emma Finucane backed up their Olympic title by coming first in Denmark. That was after a sensational ride from Lorena Wiebes in the Women's Scratch Race, as the Dutch rider took the title on her World Championship debut.
‘From the road to the track!’ – Wiebes becomes world champion on ‘amazing’ track debut
Video credit: TNT Sports
Lorena Wiebes marked her debut at the UCI Track World Championships with a sensational victory in the Women's Scratch Race in Denmark.
The 25-year-old pedalled to the front at the start of the final lap, and did not look back from there, as she blitzed her way to an emphatic victory.
It was a remarkable triumph for the Dutch rider, who only three days earlier, was taking part in the Simac Ladies Tour.
Wiebes is much more familiar with outdoor courses: her CV already boasts a pair of Road Race victories at the European Championships.
However, she took to the velodrome like a duck to water, as she comfortably beat the field. Jennifer Valente of the United States and New Zealand's Ally Wollaston came second and third respectively.
The only downside for Wiebes, who leaves Ballerup with the Rainbow Jersey, was that she was erroneously introduced as American, not Dutch, during the medal ceremony.
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Wiebes is mistaken for an American on the podium, sees the funny side
Video credit: TNT Sports
Elsewhere, Great Britain made a golden start to the Championships.
Led by triple Olympic medalist Emma Finucane, the 2023 runners-up came first in the Women's Team Sprint.
The 21-year-old once again teamed up with fellow Paris 2024 champions Sophie Capewell and Katy Marchant.
And they put in a superb performance to finish over half a second clear of the Netherlands, who took silver.
"We had such an incredible summer," said Finucane. "For us, coming into the World Championships, yes, it's been a really hard fight, there's been really strong teams here.
"This is our first World Team Sprint title and it's been incredible. It's been such an incredible season.
"We're really proud of what we've done, and to go out and wear the gold helmets, and now we get to add a Rainbow Jersey to that, it's been amazing.
"Obviously, going to the Olympics is the pinnacle of my season this year, and our season. I was really hungry for that I'm staying hungry because I want to add more world titles to what I have.
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‘Been such an incredible season’ – Finucane says Team GB ‘really proud’ after winning gold again
Video credit: TNT Sports
"I want to go out there on the world stage again. It definitely keeps me hungry, and having these two by my side, working hard, we're definitely still hungry for more and see what's to come."
It is the first time Great Britain have won the Women's Team Sprint event at the World Championships since 2008.
And Marchant said Great Britain re-gaining the rainbow jersey had been a "long time coming", adding the triumph felt "harder" than their gold-medal effort at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
"It feels really, really special because 2008 is such a long time ago," said Marchant.
"It has been a long time coming but we have put the graft in. It has been an incredible season, but to finish with gold today is great.
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"What we did in Paris was so, so special. We craved that feeling again. This feels different but it's as special in a different way.
"Personally, this felt harder than winning the Olympic gold because of the high we'd had from the Games - to get back into training, get into the headspace and get prepared after an exhausting year."
Australia, meanwhile, comfortably beat Germany in the race for bronze, an improvement on missing out on a medal in 2023.
But it was not such a good night for Britain's men in the Team Sprint.
Having failed to qualify for the final, the trio of Harry Ledingham-Horn, Hayden Norris and Joe Truman were beaten to third place by Japan.
The gold was subsequently taken by 2023 champions the Netherlands, who also took the Olympic title, as they beat Australia.
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