Two Canadians finish just outside the medals on Day 3 of Berlin track Worlds
Vincent de Haitre shows why he's the future in the kilo
Although the main importance of the 2020 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Berlin for Canada is to secure spots in the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games, there must be at least a little frustration for the Canucks at coming fourth three times in two days. However, one of the two fourth places in Friday’s action revealed a rising star for Team Canada.
Day 3 started off terribly as Allison Beveridge crashed out of the omnium in the first event, the scratch race. Riders from Mexico and Chinese Taipei also had to withdraw from the omnium after the carnage.
It was in the men’s kilo that Team Canada saw its future. Vincent de Haitre, also a fantastic speed skater, posted the fourth fastest time in qualifying with 60.18 seconds. In the medal round he was 0.016 away from the bronze.
Zoom! Fabulous ride by ? Vincent de Haitre with a time of 1:00.119 in the Kilo but just misses the final podium by .016s #Berlin2020
? @cdncyclist pic.twitter.com/GXI7em0EQL
— Cycling Canada (@CyclingCanada) February 28, 2020
On Thursday, Kelsey Mitchell sped her way into Friday’s sprint semi-finals. There she met Russian Anastasiia Voinova. Second best in the first match, Mitchell prevailed in the second before the Russian took the rubber match. This put Mitchell in the bronze medal tie with one-time world champion Lee Wai Sze of Hong Kong. The Hong Konger took the prize in two straight matches. However, Mitchell is very likely to compete in Tokyo.
? Kelsey Mitchell finishes fourth in a tough sprint competition. Big things still to come! #Berlin2020 pic.twitter.com/LguOjyVxIi
— Cycling Canada (@CyclingCanada) February 28, 2020
Jay Lamoureux faced the individual pursuit discipline on Friday. Only the top-4 qualifiers go on from qualifying, and Lamoureux came 12th out of 18.
Canada’s hopefuls for Saturday are Sarah Orban in the 500-metre time trial, Derek Gee in the omnium, and a trio in the individual pursuit: Georgia Simmerling, Ariane Bonhomme and Annie Foreman-Mackey.
