‘Love it’ – Praise for Harrie Lavreysen & Matt Richardson rivalry ahead of London showdown at Track Champions League
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ByEurosport
Updated 27/11/2022 at 12:10 GMT
Harrie Lavreysen and Matt Richardson head to the season-ending, double-header in London separated by just two points at the top of the Sprint League. After the latest round of the event in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Orla Chennaoui and Joanna Rowsell effused about their burgeoning rivalry. Watch the UCI Track Champions League live and on demand on discovery+.
'They are so closely matched' - Orla, Adam and Joanna on the Lavreysen-Richardson rivalry
Harrie Lavreysen and Matt Richardson’s battle to win the Sprint League looks like it will go to the wire after the latest round of the Track Champions League at the Velodrome National de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.
There was two points separating the pair ahead of the third round, and after Lavreysen won the sprint final and Richardson the keirin, they head to London still separated by just two points.
It is a rivalry that has defined the second season of the Track Champions League, and Adam Blythe, speaking alongside Orla Chennaoui and Joanna Rowsell, says he is loving it.
“I love it,” began Blythe.
“Week after week, they are so closely matched. If one gets one up on the other one, it takes that complacency away a bit from them, and the arrogance is sort of gone out of them. And then they are back again.
“Each time they win, they are slapping their chests,” added Blythe. “The celebrations are big. It means a lot to them.”
Chennaoui said they are constantly trying to psych each other out.
“It is not just the celebration, it is the build-up, they are like gorillas,” said Chennaoui. “Slapping their chest and slapping thighs and trying to psych each other out.”
Lavreysen, having lost to Richardson in the sprint finals in both Mallorca and Berlin, emerged victorious at the Velodrome National de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines on Saturday, and Rowsell said she was stunned that Richardson was able to gather himself to win the keirin to stay just two points behind Lavreysen in the Sprint League.
“This really spiced up the competition for me because I was stunned by his comeback to win the keirin,” said Rowsell
“I thought how is he going to turn this around? It is not his main event but he delivered.”
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After a great debut season, the UCI Track Champions League is back for season two, with Laura Kenny joining the party. You can watch it all live and on demand on discovery+. We will have extensive coverage across eurosport.com.
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