Report: Rebecca Ransom
Photo: Luke Webber
UCI Track Cycling World Championships event coverage | Full schedule | The venue |
Elinor Barker becomes world champion in the women's team pursuit, defending Great Britain's title alongside Laura Trott and Dani King.
Elinor seamlessly stepped into the Great Britian team to perform at the highest level, and retained Great Britian's world title.
Elinor Barker stepped up to win the world title with Dani King and Laura Trott
Darren Tudor, Head Coach at Welsh Cycling watched the race from Wales National Velodrome, “It's a brilliant result for Elinor and Laura and Dani. They went into the final with a plan, stuck to it and it paid off. Elinor’s performance was a big part of the team. She did second and third turns of a lap and a half. This is a big ask of anyone who could have stepped into this team, never mind for an 18 year old, but she delivered and it is a fantastic result for her first senior world championships. She can wear her rainbow jersey with pride.
On her return from Minsk she will concentrate on her A-levels. She will begin her road season with Wiggle-Honda, but her main priority will be her school work. She has a bright future ahead of her, I'm sure we will see a lot more of Elinor Barker in the years to come.”
The trio qualified fastest in the qualifiers this morning, posting a time of 3:18.704 to face Australia in the final. They held it together in the final and rode a perfect race to post 3:18.140 to take the gold medal and the world team pursuit title.
Team USN rider Barker commented: “It was scary being the youngest, to be honest but I couldn’t ask for better teammates, they are the best in the world, who better to learn from?”
Earlier today, Becky James won her second medal of the competition. James was first off in the 500m TT, and clocked 34.133. It was a nailbiting event, watching the other 12 riders take to the boards. James managed to retain her lead until Lee of Hong Kong and Welt of Germany claimed gold and silver, with James collecting her second bronze medal.
James will compete again over the weekend, in the Women's Sprint and Keirin events with the opportunity to bring more medals back to Wales.
