UCI Track Champions League as it happened – Katie Archibald takes elimination win as Lavreysen loses sprint, wins keirin

Women's endurance:

1. Katie Archibald 102 points
2. Anita Yvonne Stenberg 90
3. Maggie Coles-Lyster 82
4. Lily Williams 81
5. Sarah Van Dam 66

1. Dylan Bibic 96 points
2. Jules Hesters 70
3. Eiya Hashimoto 69
4. Mark Stewart 59
5. Will Tidball 57

Men's sprint:

1. Harrie Lavreysen 117 points
2. Matthew Richardson 93
3. Mateusz Rudyk 83
4. Tom Derache 67
5. Callum Saunders 45

Alessa Katriona Propster
Emma Finucane
Lowri Thomas
Nicky Degrendele
Ellesse Andrews
Martha Bayona

Our grand finale, and what a line-up. I'm rooting for a result for Finucane, and won't deny it, but I've enjoyed Martha Bayona's performances this evening.

Finucane begins on the wheel, with Propster right behind her, Degrendele watching her six. It's Finucane who comes over the top, early, with Propster on her shoulder and leading at the bell. Degrendele is coming through as Propster sails to a strong win, and a bit of a return to form for the German rider. Degrendele took a solid second, with Andrew third.

Harrie Lavreysen
Matthew Richardson
Daan Kool
Jean Spies
Kevin Quintero
Mateusz Rudyk

The final men's sprint of the night. Can Richardson maintain his momentum and do the double over big Harrie? It's the Dutchman right behind the moto to start with, Richardson in the middle, laying off Rudyk a little. Spies comes up first and dives into the lead. Lavreysen lets Kool pass too, and then he goes just before the bell. He's powering down the back straight and it's only Rudyk who can respond but he doesn't have anything like enough to do better than second. Brutal, that was. Richardson in third there.

Time for the final endurance event of the night, the Archibald, as it has come to be referred. By me. Lily Williams will want to get a good result out of this one in order to stay competitive.

It's another very fast start, as always in the devil. Katie Archibald very happy to nestle into the front and set the pace. Emma Cumming is out first, despite a valiant effort by the Kiwi, and next out is 46, Maaike BrandWagt trapped at the bottom with nowhere to go but out. Hesters of Belgium eases around the top and it was Kate Richardson in the middle next out. Archibald moves out of trouble, as Selva finds herself in it and can't quite catch the speed to save her bacon. Stenberg moves up and out of danger, at the expense of Gaxiola this time around.

The bell goes again and the Norwegian is still struggling but it's Hesters at the bottom who is knocked out next. Stenberg rescues herself for a third time, with Dani Khan who can hide no more. More space on the track now and it's between Stenberg and Olsen, with Olsen losing out. She'd been on borrowed time but a top ten for her. Lara Gillespie riding very well at the front, and Sophie Lewis who had been riding well but is next to be eliminated.

Into the final eight, and it's our scratch winner Van Dam who goes thanks to the Lithuanian rider's late move. Can Stenberg do it again? She can. Synonara Maggie Coles Lyster, in seventh. Out in 6th is... no-one, so an extra lap, but the Lithuanian Baleisyte gives up the ghost before the do over. Down to five and Archibald has work to do, which she does. Sevikova who had been hiding well, can only do so for so long, and is gone in 5th. Archibald swoops up and down and forces the pace this time. The KO was close but Lara Gillespie snuck through, and knocked out Lily Williams. Great ride from Gillespie, who finishes in a fantastic 3rd, one better than last week.

Match sprint between Archibald and Stenberg, and Katie does it again in style. Three from three and no-one's taking that jersey off her.

Heat 1
Emma Finucane
Lauriane Genest
Orla Walsh
Alla Biletska
Lowri Thomas
Lijuan Wang

Emma Finuncae the best placed rider overall in this heat, but Lowri Thomas and Lijuan Wang aren't far behind. The race gets going with Orla Walsh on the wheel for two laps behind the derny. Lots of looking behind as the motor gives way, and the action gets going with two laps left as Emma Finucane takes it up. She winds it up and there's contact! But everyone stays up - somehow - and Finucane stays clear of the trouble but Wang, despite her rear wheel going airborn comes through behind her. Will she keep second place, though?

Update: She won't. After much deliberation, the Chinese rider is relegated, presumably from not staying in her lane.

Heat 2
Ellie Stone
Alessa Catriona Propster
Katy Marchant
Nicky Degrendele
Miriam Vece
Daniela Gaxiola

All present and correct, it's going to be Gaxiola on the front of this one. All in one line with gaps opening up as the motorbike swings up. Propster looks happy to lead out but Marchant comes round inside the final two laps. Propster is on the outside, putting the hammer down for an easy win. Degrendele tried to challenge on the line but she should be satisfied with second place and another final appearance for the Belgian rider.

Heat 3
Ellesse Andrews
Kelsey Mitchell
Martha Bayona
Ruby Huisman
Migle Lendel
Sophie Capewell

Out final heat of the night and it should be two from three, with Bayona having come back from Chile in superb form. But can she beat Ellesse Andrews, who has looked all but unbeatable in the last few weeks. We start with problems, as Kelsey Mitchell falls while being positioned on the track, and there's an issue with the starter's pistol, so the derny does another lap.

It's Andrews on the wheel and we're underway with Mitchell on maneuvers, out of the saddle and settles on to the front. Andrews is coming up at speed, and accelerating to the front, Bayona on her hip. It's the fastest two riders, as you'd expect, Andrews and Bayona, in that order.

Heat 1
Esow Esow
Kevin Quintero
Mikhail Yakovlev
Tom Derache
Jean Spies
Tijmen van Loon

Spot the rainbow stripes - they're on the back of Kevin Quintero. Can Yakovlev put all that power to good use? Can Tom Derache give the home crowd something to get excited about?

Proper motorbike this week, with the terminator on board, apparently. Jean Spies slots in behind the "derny", Derache on his wheel. Derache lets the wheel go as the bike goes off the track, and Esow comes over, with Quintero attacking demonically at the bell. I forgot to look for the second rider, some way back, but it was Jean Spies, apparently. Very good result for him.

Heat 2
Daan Kool
Callum Saunders
Vasilijus Lendel
Matthew Richardson
Lars Romijn
Nien Hsing Hsieh

How well has Richardson been able to recover this week? He looks okay as he waves before the start. The motorbike is on its way, the gun goes, and Lendel it is who takes first position. Saunders leaving a little gap, Kool another little gap. Richardson in 4th place, as Lendel is looking good. Saunders comes at the bell, and Richardson takes the lead on the final bend, with time to look over his shoulder and celebrate. In second it seemed to be Daan Kool this time. Good result for him too - in 18th place at the start of this evening which should see him climb the leaderboard.

Heat 3
Harrie Lavreysen
Sam Dakin
Mateusz Rudyk
Melvin Landerneau
Joe Truman

Our final men's keirin heat features just the five riders. Landerneau on the front as we're racing with three to go. Dakin presses, Lavreysen in 5th with two to go. Truman stuck on the hip and accelerating as the Dutchman picks his moment and smashes everyone else to pieces. Rudyk a strong second place.

It's devil time. And there's a lot riding on this race. Hashimoto has a few points to make up to retain the jersey but all he can do to control that is... not get knocked out.

The chaos commences with the neutral lap, and the race is underway. Eyes on the back, where the Dutch riders find themselves. Hashimoto it is who goes first! Shocking stuff. He boxed himself in. Next out is... 57, Schmidbauer. It was getting feisty there, as Eeffting is playing with fire, and he's out this time. The Frenchman will be happy to see the back of him. Bell rings again and Bibic has work to do and he just about does it at the expense of Theo Reinhardt. Quentin Lafarque gives up the ghost well before the line as the next eliminated out. He doesn't look happy.

A few confusing laps delay the KO but it's Tuur Dens who cannot save himself and goes out in 9th. Mark Stewart powers from front to back, as does Bibic, and it's Will Perretty who finishes in 11th place. The race continues and this time, finally, it's Buchli who goes. Nine left now, and the Canadians at the back, but wise to what they have to do, causing problems at the back for Gavin Hoover who is stuck at the bottom.

Guillemete saves himself - just - at the expense of Tobias Hansen, but doesn't have the legs to do it again. Six left now, Mark Stewart at the front, looking good. It's tight, but it's Tidball squeezed in the middle.

Bibic on the back saves himself again round the outside with Heijnen out in 5th. Mark Stewart is next out in 4th for his best result so far this series and Mora is paying for his earlier effort, content with 3rd on his return. We're down to our final two riders, Hesters and Bibic. Bibic leads out with the Belgian on the wheel and he cannot get on terms. It wasn't pretty but Bibic was just too strong for anyone else in that race as he completes a perfect night and secures the overall race lead.

Kelsey Mitchell has her first sprint final of this series, and her first two-up match sprint. Andrews takes the leads as Mitchell looks to intimidate her into going earlier and creating that gap to provide the rush room. Mitchell accelerates down the back straight, not quite opening up the gap as Andrews leads at the bell but Mitchell is just not quite fast enough and Andrews was wise to the Canadian's efforts to force the gap. Not a massive distance between them, but it was relatively easy for the kiwi. That's four in a row for Ellesse Andrews.

It's the one we've all been waiting for - for three bloomin' weeks! The fastest men in the world meeting in the final for the first time this series. Can Harrie continue his dominance of this competition?

Off they go, for this two-up match sprint, and it's a little bit of track standing, forced by Richardson to begin with, before leading Lavreysen down to the cote d'azur. Now the Australian starts to wind it up, but slows down again and goes high for a bit of proper track stand action. It's only brief, though. Then another one. Two laps to go. Neither rider wants to lead this out, as Lavreysen tries to intimidate and we're into the final lap. Lavreysen is coming round so fast on the Australian's shoulder but it's Matthew Richardson who holds him off and takes the win! Lavreysen loses his unbeaten record thanks to sublime maneuvering from Matthew to deny the world champion the rush room.

It's the turn of the women's endurance riders, who have been waiting patiently in the pen. Can Lily Williams win it for the third week in a row, and in the same way? I'm saying no to the latter, but I would still fancy her chances from the sprint. Might Maggie Coles-Lyster or Anita Stenberg make a move?

Katie Archibald leads them across the line for the gun, and it's a relatively sedate start, with no-one desperate to put their noses in the wind. Four laps in and still no moves, just tiny turns and dry powder, with no threats looming that I can make out. Everyone is waiting for someone else to do something.

It looks very slow and defensive so far, and is shaping up to be an almighty sprint finish.

Half the laps completed and its still a very scrunched bunch. Lots of riders want the wheel of Katie Archibald, and finally there's a move at the bottom of the track which strings it out a bit from the Lituanian rider.

And with six remaining it's Sarah Van Dam with a quarter lap gap as the bunch hesitates. No-one wants to take on the chase.

Now they come, with Stenberg concerned about her position while Archibald has work to do from the back, but Van Dam has more than half a lap with two to go. The win is going to the Canadian, that's almost certain.

The bell goes and where will the places go? No look at the sprint so no idea! I'll tell you in a moment. And the results indicate it was another Canadian, Maggie Coles-Lyster who took 2nd, Archibald in 3rd, with Lily Williams down in 9th place.

Semi-final 1 - Ellesse Andrews!
Martha Bayona
Nicky Degrendele
Ellesse Andrews

It's the women's turn and we'll see how fast Bayona really is, as she comes up against the in-form athlete. Andrews on the front to begin with, keeping the speed lowish. Getting fast at the bell, and Andrews is forced to go early, with Bayona coming round with a huge amount of power and a good low lunge. It looked very close but Andrews takes it.

Semi-final 2 - Kelsey Mitchell wins!
Alessa Catriona Propster
Kelsey Mitchell
Lijuan Wang

And now we'll see if Mitchell has ridden her way into this series as well as it looked like she had in her heat. The three are cruising the blue at slow speed to begin with, before Mitchell moves up the track and looks to get a view of the others. Here comes Canada, taking it on early to take the bell, leaving work to do for the others and they cannae do it. Mitchell makes the final for the first time this series and I, for one, am not surprised. Confident, more than competent bike racing.

Semi-final 1 - Matthew Richardson wins!
Mateusz Rudyk
Matthew Richardson
Callum Saunders

So I was wrong about Lavreysen being drawn together again. They've been separated in the semis this week, so can meet each other in the final. The Australian has to get past Rudyk and Saunders first, though. Expect Richardson to give it his all in this 4th v 2nd v 6th matchup. Saunders keen to take the lead and Richardson has no complaints about that from the middle. Saunders winds it up at the bottom, inside two laps, while Richardson looks over his shoulder, and is managing at the bell, coming round before the final straight for a clear win from Rudyk. That seemed like the best he's ridden this series.

Semi-final 1 - Harrie Lavreysen wins!
Harrie Lavreysen
Sam Dakin
Joe Truman

Sorry Joe, but this is one race too far for you. Lavreysen may not be unbeatable but he's as close to that as it's possible to be in sport, you'd say. Dakin in the black comes down to the bottom, with Lavreysen the cheese in the sandwich. Truman ducks and dives and forces vigilence from the Dutchman but can't get his bars in front. Lavreysen more than a bike length ahead going into the final bend and three or four by the line. Convincing doesn't come close.

We have our final.

The men's endurance league begins with the scratch race and what is increasingly looking like a two man battle. A decent result for really any other rider could really get them into the mix, however. My eye is especially going to be on Mark Stewart, who I'm banking on finding his groove tonight.

Good to have Sebastian Mora back after he missed Berlin due to injury but Claudio Imhof, another lovely chap, is missing.

Here we go then, for 20 laps of 250m each. One long string to start, with short turns and a high early pace. Hashimoto and Bibic tight like tigers in these first couple of laps. A bit of a split in the bunch after five laps, as Will Tidball swings down to see what's what, but no move made and still all together one third of the race completed. A few sneaky looks but no-one committing yet.

Looks like the Dutch pair fancy it, and Schmidauer from Austria are off the front and taking advantage of bunch hesitation. Only a quarter of a lap's lead as Bibic brings it all back together and it's starting to look like a bunch sprint to finish for the first time. Tidball battles his way to the front - the World Champion has a fast finish, we know.

Four laps left and very tightly packed, as Eefting has another go but it's going to be too fast for him to stay away you'd think. Hashimoto eats his lunch and at the bell Tidball is well placed, as the Canadians come round for a 1-2. Bibic took that from Guillemete. Hashimoto looks to have come 6th, which means a ten point swing towards Bibic putting him in the virtual overall lead.

Heat 1 - Lijuan Wang wins!
Lowri Thomas (Great Britain)
Lijuan Wang (China)
Daniela Gaxiola (Mexico)

6th plays 8th plays 15th respectively, so could go any which way this one. Wang had a better sprint, Thomas the keirin last Saturday, coming third. Tentative start for all three of these, no-one backing off so far, as Thomas goes high and swoops but can't come under, so the sprint is coming from the front. Thomas is boxed in and Wang is well ahead at the straight, coming through relatively comfortably.

Heat 2 - Nicky Degrendele wins!
Ellie Stone (Great Britain)
Miriam Vece (Italy)
Nicky Degrendele (Belgium)

Degrendele, who had a good keirin last week and is in 5th overall is your favourite, but she's not been quite so strong in the sprint. Ellie Stone builds up a big gap and has gone for an early flier. She's ahead on the back straight but Vece and Degrendele are coming round... A lunge for the line and Degrendele times it perfectly to win that one.

Heat 3 - Kelsey Mitchell wins!
Katy Marchant (Great Britain)
Kelsey Mitchell (Canada)
Alla Biletska (Ukraine)

Mitchell yet to get firing in this year's TCL, while Marchant made the final of the sprint last Saturday. Biletska is no slouch, but yet to advance to a semi. IN this one we see the Ukraine rider going long this time, while Marchant is practically glued to Mitchell's wheel. The gap is closed by Mitchell on the back straight of the final lap, and Marchant tries to come at her but runs out of track. Mitchell rode that one better, I think.

Heat 4 - Martha Bayona wins!
Emma Finucane (Great Britain)
Martha Bayona (Colombia)
Orla Walsh (Ireland)

Rainbow time, in the form of Emma Finucane, who I spoke to a few days ago. How has Bayona recovered from the jet lag? Bit of a cagey start, interesting moves being made by all three, as Orla Walsh takes it on early as she has to. Finucane is wise to Bayona's tricks, uses the height and gets into the slipstream. Can Finucane do it? She can't.

Heat 5 - Alessa Catriona Propster wins!
Ruby Huisman (Netherlands)
Alessa Catriona Propster (Germany)
Sophie Capewell (Great Britain)

Can Sophie Capewell be the only British rider through to the sprint semi-finals? Alessa Catriona Propster, the revelation of round 1, must be the favourite. It's Propster on the front, looking over her shoulder, as Capewell keeps an eye on Husiman. All close together at the bell as Capewell launches into the gap and Propster is forced to come round, and takes it by the tiniest of margins. Great finish at the end.

Heat 6 - Ellesse Andrews wins!
Ellesse Andrews (New Zealand)
Lauriane Genest (Canada)
Migle Lendel (Lithuania)

The first time Ellesse Andrews has raced in the lovely blue skinsuit this series. She is the woman in form, and will be happy to get a good run out on the Olympic track. Expect Genest to take it to her, though. We're underway with Genest at the front, keeping an eye on Lendel. Andrews comes around with 2 to go, goes high as Lendel marks her closely. Out of the saddle comes Andrews and at the bell it's a seated acceleration from Andrews who just powers into the next round. No problem. No surprises.

Heat 1 - Callum Saunders wins!
Esow Esow (India)
Callum Saunders (New Zealand)
Lars Romijn (Netherlands)

Callum Saunders the highest ranked of these three, in sixth overall. He starts in first position, as Romijn climbs the banking and winds it up. The Dutch rider coming round on the bell, alongside. Esow is not in it until the final corner, as Romijn fades and Saunders steps on the gas and comes through to qualify with relative ease.

Heat 2 - Sam Dakin wins!
Daan Kool (Netherlands)
Sam Dakin (New Zealand)
Mikhail Yakovlev (Israel)

Yakovlev the favourite, in 5th overall, with Kool propping up the basement, and Dakin bang in the middle. Yakovlev is a monster, hitting more power last week than any other rider. Currently in 3rd, as Dakin gets out of the saddle and it's very close at bell. Dakin powers away the shortest way around as Yakovlev fades surprisingly. Dakin played that well and controlled it nicely.

Heat 3 - Mateusz Rudyk wins!
Mateusz Rudyk (Poland)
Vasilijus Lendel (Lithuania)
Melvin Landerneau (France)

The home crowd are excited at the sight of a Frenchman on the startline. You probably wouldn't fancy him, though, with Rudyk, 4th overall, standing next to him. But maybe Landerneau can use local knowledge and support to his advantage. Landerneau isn't hanging around, with Lendel propping up the rear, as Rudyk comes round and goes clear at the bell. Down the home straight to win in quite straightforward fashion.

Heat 4 - Joe Truman wins!
Tom Derache (France)
Joe Truman (Great Britain)

Another Frenchman, and the one you'd think has a bit more of a chance overall. Just a two-up as Ronaldo Singh Laitonjam will not start. Derache and Truman eyeball each other as they're released, and the British rider takes up the back position and swings up the banking, as Derache looks over his shoulder and begins to wind it up. Truman swoops down from the top, and manages to come under his rival. They're committed at the bell, as Derache comes along side but cannot come past. Great win for Truman, but a possible error from Derache.

Heat 5 - Matthew Richardson wins!
Nien Hsing Hsieh (Chinese Taipei)
Matthew Richardson (Australia)
Tijmen van Loon (Netherlands)

Richardson again finding himself on the same side of the draw as Lavreysen, so they'll meet each other in the semi if both go through. Hard to see anyone but the Australian taking this one, though van Loon is taking it up early. At the bell there's a gap and the speed is high, as Richardson rushes the gap, powers round turn four to win by two bike lengths.

Heat 6 - Harrie Lavreysen wins!
Jean Spies (South Africa)
Harrie Lavreysen (Nethelands)
Kevin Quintero (Colombia)

Quintero's back, after as successful PanAm games in Chile last weekend. But this is the Lavreysen show, the world champion having won every event of the men's sprint series. He starts in the middle, keeping an eye on Quintero, who comes level with Spies and forces Lavreysen to come up and down and round but... he's got that much power in his thighs that it's no bother for him. Doesn't look out of breath and can even ease up before the line.

I have to say, I rather like the regular schedule. We start, as last week and the week before, with the men's sprint heats.

Welcome to live coverage of Round 3 of the Track Champions League 2023, from the The Vélodrome National de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (I think I got that right.) This is the last time most of these riders will tread this particular set of boards before the first track cycling events of the Paris 2024 Olympics, which begin on August 5.

This is a chance for some to gather intel on the woodwork and banking itself, although most will be looking to learn as much as possible about their rivals in race.

In about two hours time we shall reach the halfway point in the competition, which means we will have a reasonable idea - more of one - of which of these sublime athletes are going to be gunning for glory in London next weekend.

Will Ellesse Andrews and Harrie Lavreysen tighten their already pretty firm grips on the sprint competitions? Can Lily Williams make it three scratch races in a row and topple Katie Archibal on the women’s leaderboard? Is the men’s endurance going to settle into a two-horse race between Eiya Hashimoto and Dylan Bibic, or can one of the Brits or a Belgian make a challenge. We’re about to find out in front of the crowds of Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.

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The UCI Track Champions League is back for season three. You can watch it all live and on demand on discovery+. We will also have extensive coverage across eurosport.com.