Two top-seven spots for Canada on final day of Pruszków track World Cup
Beveridge and Gibson fifth in the Madison
On Sunday’s final day of the first 2017-2018 UCI track cycling World Cup in Pruszków, Poland, Canada’s women took two top-7 spots. Annie Foreman-Mackey was seventh in the individual pursuit while Alison Beveridge and Kinley Gibson earned fifth in the thrilling madison.
Annie Foreman-Mackey had 3-km to roll in qualifying. Her time of 3:40.508 gave her seventh out of 16 riders. However, only the top-four would go onto the medal rounds.
The gold medal match was between Dutch world time trial champion Annemiek van Vleuten and the hometown favourite Justyna Kaczkowska, who posted the fastest time in qualifying. The Pole prevailed.
And the crowd goes wild!!
Poland's Justyna Kaczkowska wins gold in the Individual Pursuit. ???
Annemiek van Vleuten ???
Elisa Balsamo ??? pic.twitter.com/t26Re1tTT1— UCI Track Cycling (@UCI_Track) November 5, 2017
In the women’s madison, 34 riders from 17 nations started on the boards at the same time. They faced 80 laps, with a sprint every ten laps. Canada earned two points in both Lap 2 and Lap 3. Halfway through the race Beveridge and Gibson were in fifth place.
In the penultimate sprint Canada picked up three points to move into fourth, four points adrift of Italy for the final medal spot. With double points offered in the final sprint, Canada moved down a place to fifth as Netherlands snagged four points. The gold went to the World Champion Belgians.
Gold for World Champions, Belgium!
Great Britain take silver with a win in the final sprint. Italy bronze. #Madison #TissotUCITrackWC pic.twitter.com/MNtj7ZZapG— UCI Track Cycling (@UCI_Track) November 5, 2017
Next weekend is Round 2 of the World Cup in Manchester, England. The last time the World Cup visited Manchester in 2013, Canadian women earned three medals.
