Valcepina and Knegt each do the double in Dresden

Italy's Valcepina secured her first major speed skating title with a fortunate victory in the 1500m, following a crash for her team-mate and six-time overall European champion Arianna Fontana.

But there was nothing fortunate about her second title of the day, with the 25-year-old out-skating her compatriot to take 500m gold.

"I am so happy," said Valcepina after her first win. "This is my first win like this. I didn't see the crash. I am very sorry for Arianna, because she was doing well, but I am so happy to do well."

Fontana took silver in the 500m, with Russia's Sofia Prosvirnova taking the bronze, while in the 1500m it was the Netherlands' Yara van Kerkhof that finished second, ahead of Hungary's Sara Luca Bacskai.

The men's events of the day were also dominated by a single skater, with six-time world champion Knegt getting the better of 20-time world champion Victor An in the 500m final.

The Dutchman crossed the line just 0.064s ahead of the former Korean-born Russian, with France's Sebastien Lepape bagging the bronze.

"I was very pleased to just beat Victor to the line, because I know it's an event he is targeting at the Olympics," said Knegt. "The tactics went well.

"It was a more tactical race, and I think it needed to be, because the first two races had all just been about pure speed. I saved something for the end. I wasn't going at 100 per cent until those final two laps."

In the 1500m it was Knegt getting the better of another Russian, this time Semen Elistratov, and winning by just 0.056s this time – with Israel's Vladislav Bykanov finishing third.

Sportsbeat 2018