UCI Track Champions League 2021 - GB’s Katie Archibald leads endurance standings after impressing in Mallorca

ByBen Snowball

Updated 07/11/2021 at 10:26 GMT

The UCI Track Champions League enjoyed a successful launch with Archibald producing a trademark display in the elimination race to seize the overall lead. Dutch legend Kirsten Wild, who will retire after the series, grew into the event and could be Archibald’s biggest rival. Watch all of the action from the UCI Track Champions League 2021 live on the Eurosport app, eurosport.co.uk and discovery+

Great Britain’s Katie Archibald leads the women’s endurance standings after an impressive opening round in Mallorca, with Corbin Strong (New Zealand) heading the men’s competition.

Archibald claimed victory in the elimination race after finishing fourth in the scratch race to leave with 33 points. Maggie Coles-Lyster (Canada) is next on 30 points.

Meanwhile, Strong won both events to take the maximum 40 points and install himself as the early favourite. He leads Iuri Leitao (Portugal) by a whopping 12 points.

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The next round is in Panevezys, Lithuania on November 27.

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WOMEN'S ELIMINATION - ARCHIBALD TRIUMPHANT

Archibald bounced back from disappointment in the scratch race to take a dominant win in the women’s elimination race.

The Brit was tactically flawless as she easily navigated the early eliminations before stretching out the race with four riders remaining.

The 27-year-old, who won gold alongside Laura Kenny in the madison at Tokyo 2020 in August, was left in a two-up battle with Kirsten Wild (Netherlands) – but it was no contest as she destroyed her rival to take the maximum haul of 20 points.

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MEN’S ELIMINATION - STRONG DOUBLES UP

Strong made it two wins from two as he swept to victory in the men’s elimination race.

The Kiwi saw off Gavin Hoover (USA) in the final showdown.

It was a disappointing event for Great Britain with Ed Clancy and Rhys Britton the third and fourth riders to be eliminated respectively.

'Strong is too strong!' - Kiwi doubles up in Mallorca

WOMEN’S SCRATCH - COLES-LYSTER STARS

Coles-Lyster claimed a huge scalp by winning the women’s scratch race from a three-strong breakaway.

Little was expected of the 22-year-old with some huge names in the field, but she was part of an opportunistic move alongside Olivija Baleisyte (Lithuania) and Hanna Tserakh (Belarus) with 10 laps remaining.

As the main pack hesitated behind, the trio surged clear and built a half-lap lead – meaning that when Archibald led a late charge from the bunch, it was too late.

Coles-Lyster edged the sprint finish ahead of Baleisyte and Tserakh, with Archibald leading home the main pack in fourth. Wild paid for a late attack and finished eighth.

All the scratch races at the UCI Track Champions League are being contested over a relatively short distance of 5km.

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MEN’S SCRATCH - STRONG SNATCHES 'SPECTACULAR' WIN

Strong left it until the last possible moment to snatch victory in the men’s scratch race.

Leitao lit up the race with a do-or-die attack in the final laps and held the lead into the final corner, but was overhauled by the fast-finishing Kiwi and Rhys Britton (Great Britain).

“What a finale. That was absolutely spectacular,” said Joanna Rowsell on Eurosport commentary.

A front quartet were swallowed up with four laps remaining before Leitao made his move. The top 10 all crossed the line within a second of Strong as Britain’s Clancy disappointed in 14th.

'Bang, he does!' - Strong edges scratch race

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The UCI Track Champions League returns for round two on November 27 and you can watch all of the action live on the Eurosport app, eurosport.co.uk and discovery+. Find out more about the "mind-blowing" new era for track cycling.

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