Elinor Barker won gold for the Great Britain Cycling Team in a captivating points race on the final day of the 2017 UCI Track Cycling World Championships.
The 22-year-old gained a second, decisive lap in the dying stages of the race to come out on top of a superb duel with American Sarah Hammer.
Barker ended the race on 59 points with Hammer on 51 and Kirsten Wild in third on 35.
It gave Barker gold to add to her silver medals in the scratch race and Madison, and gave Britain a second gold of the championships to add to Katie Archibald's omnium triumph.
Great Britain Cycling Team end the championships with five medals - two gold, two silver, and one bronze.
"I'm incredibly happy," Barker said. "Until the last lap it was looking like another silver. I'm so happy it was a gold."
"It's really, really special"
— British Cycling (@BritishCycling) April 16, 2017
An emotional @elinorbarker on her incredible points race world title!#TWC2017 pic.twitter.com/SMytLck4HJ
Epic duel
Barker and Hammer had worked well together towards the halfway stage of the 100-lap race to break away from the bunch and gain a lap.
Barker’s bursting pace saw her extend the lead in the sprints to 10 points and it seemed the title was hers.
Endurance great Hammer was not done though and battled to another lap gain that sent her in to the lead and seemingly to the world title.
Eternal bridesmaid no morepic.twitter.com/mSULXpwvKR
— Elinor Barker (@elinorbarker) April 16, 2017
But there was still time for one more twist as Barker launched a late bid for the rainbow jersey, taking her second lap gain in dramatic fashion to seal the gold.
Women’s keirin
Katy Marchant exited the keirin in the first round. Fourth in the opening round sent Marchant in to the repechages where only a win would do.
The Olympic bronze medallist finished third to bring her world championships to an end.
Truman show
Joe Truman took 11th in the kilo. The Senior Academy rider set a time of 1:01.429 over four laps having been part of the team sprint trio that finished fourth.
First Worlds over, been an amazing experience and decent to finish off with a PB bring on next year... https://t.co/l0bgyaTGpT
— Joe Truman (@JoeTruman97) April 16, 2017
Men’s Madison
Young duo Mark Stewart and Ollie Wood were pulled out of the 200-lap men’s Madison. The 21-year-olds had fought bravely and had picked up points in the sprints.
But after losing a second lap with less than 30 laps remaining they were withdrawn from the race.
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