UCI Track Champions League 2021 - Katie Archibald continues endurance domination with double in Lithuania

ByEurosport

Updated 28/11/2021 at 09:41 GMT

Katie Archibald produced a completely dominant performance at the Cido Arena in Lithuania to cement her lead at the top of the endurance standings. On the men’s side, Sebastian Mora doubled up to assume the lead from Corbin Strong. The UCI Track Champions League is here and you can watch all of the action live on the Eurosport app, eurosport.co.uk and discovery+

Great Britain’s Katie Archibald produced a truly dominant display - winning both the scratch and elimination races - to take control of the endurance league at the UCI Track Champions League.

The two-time Olympic gold medal winner is on 73 points and holds a 13-point lead over Canada's Maggie Coles-Lyster in the standings ahead of the London rounds.

On the men's side, Sebastian Mora also doubled up, moving on to 59 points, two ahead of former league leader Corbin Strong.

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Highlights: Archibald, Lavreysen, Mora dominate in Lithuania

WOMEN’S SCRATCH - ARCHIBALD TIMES IT RIGHT TO CLAIM WIN

Maggie Coles-Lyster got the jump on Katie Archibald and Kirsten Wild in Mallorca and again impressed in Lithuania, stealing in for second. However, it was two-time Olympic champion Archibald who took the spoils, with Yumi Kajihara making up the podium.

The Brit first made her move with 16 laps left on the clock, and quickly established a gap of a quarter of a lap or so, forcing Kirsten Wild to shut Archibald down. Wild would - perhaps fatigued by those endeavours - eventually finish sixth.

The race was back together halfway through and, after some jostling with five laps to go, Archibald was well placed at the bell. She hit the front bang on time and came through to take the win.

‘Got it absolutely right!’ – Archibald makes amends for Mallorca with scratch race win

MEN’S SCRATCH - MORA 'LIVES UP TO BILLING' TO WIN FROM BRITTON

Sebastián Mora of Spain edged out GB's Rhys Britton to win the scratch race with Gavin Hoover of the USA in third. But the leader coming into the second round of competition, Corbin Strong, could only muster eighth spot.

The decisive move was made with 1km to go, as the riders jostled for final position. GB's Rhys Britton rocketed himself forward, right in time for the bell, and it was between him and Mora, but the Spaniard took it. The Brit added a second-placed finish to his third-placed showing in Mallorca.

‘Showing his class!’ – Mora ‘lives up to billing’ to win scratch race, Britton takes second

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WOMEN'S ELIMINATION - ARCHIBALD CEMENTS PLACE AT TOP OF STANDINGS

Archibald followed up her success in the scratch race with another impressive ride in the elimination.

Coles-Lyster, her closest competitor in the endurance category, finished fourth, and Archibald said after the race that she had "gone looking” for the Canadian rider.

"I went in solely looking for Maggie [Coles-Lyster] who's the other contender for the main overall right now. She's been very, very strong so far,” said Archibald.

It didn't work first time, it didn't work second time, I could then see that she has gone all the way around so I just came in but that didn't work either.

"So we get down to the final four and I'm like ‘ok, there's a bit of room here’, I decided to focus. It was seriously hard, especially when she was coming under in the last minute, she had the run into the rider in front and I'm just like – ‘let's go!’. It was satisfying."

Anita Yvonne Stenberg of Norway finished second and Silvia Zanardi finished third.

MEN’S ELIMINATION - MORA DOUBLES UP TO SNATCH OVERALL LEAD

Mora made it two wins from two as he swept to victory in the men’s elimination race. The Spanish rider saw off Aaron Gate of New Zealand in the final showdown.

The overall leader coming into the Lithuanian round, Strong, finished in seventh, meaning Mora assumed the lead in the endurance category by two points.

It was a disappointing race for Brit pair, Ed Clancy and Britton, who finished 17th and 11th respectively.

‘Talk about maxing out!’ – Mora doubles up with elimination race win

Men’s endurance:

• Sebastian Mora - 59
• Corbin Strong - 57
• Gavin Hoover - 53

Women’s endurance:

• Katie Archibald - 73
• Maggie Coles-Lyster - 60
• Anita Yvonne Stenberg - 50

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The UCI Track Champions League returns for round three on December 3 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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