Date: 19.02.2008
Description:
For the fourth year running, Holland has won the UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics. This victory is a reflection of the remarkable regularity of Willy Kanis, with three overall classification wins in the sprint, the keirin and the team sprint. She was the star of the last leg of the series, which took place in Copenhagen. The supremacy of the Dutch riders was unwavering throughout the season: Indeed, Theo Bos and his team dominated the four legs of the competition, which stopped in Sydney, Beijing and Los Angeles, before arriving in Europe five weeks before the World Championships in Manchester.
Holland is currently without doubt the world’s leading force in track cycling. This new triumph rewards the National Federation’s excellent work over the last few years, and any ambitions it has for the upcoming competitions are fully justified.
Willy Kanis was victorious in the individual sprint and the keirin in Copenhagen. However, after three victories with her partner Yvonne Hijgenaar in the team sprint, she was beaten this time by the British riders Victoria Pendleton and Shanaze Reade. Willy Kanis will be in good company during the events that attribute the rainbow jerseys at the end of March; in particular, the former World BMX Champion will be accompanied by Theo Bos, who stayed in the shadows in Denmark. In the middle of preparing the season’s most important races, Bos only participated in the team sprint, finishing in second place with Teun Mulder and Tim Veldt, behind the French team of Grégory Baugé, François Pervis and Kévin Sireau.
Kévin Sireau was then victorious against the World Champion Chris Hoy in the individual sprint. This also won him first place in the general classification for the specialty as well as his qualification for the Olympic Games. It is a significant exploit for a 21-year-old athlete, who we will certainly continue to talk about in the future.
The French coach Florian Rousseau was understandably optimistic after the Copenhagen races, which confirmed the vitality of his team’s sprint section. It will not be an easy choice for him between five valuable riders such as Bourgain, Tournant, winner of the Keirin International, Pervis, who was on the highest step of the podium in the kilometre, Baugé and Sireau. His counterparts would probably also like to be spoiled for choice in the same way.
Four of the 17 gold medals up for grabs at the last leg of the World Cup were won by Great Britain. As well as the one that went to the sprint team, the British won gold for the team pursuit (men), the individual pursuit (women) with Rebcca Romero, and the keirin avec Chris Hoy.
The other winners in Copenhagen were: the Dutch riders Pim Ligthart – his first victory at this level – in the points race, Marianne Vos, once again in the women’s scratch race, and Wim Stroetinga in the same event for men, the Chinese Jinjie Gong in the 500 metres and Wan Yiu Wong in the women’s points race, the Spanish rider Sergi Escobar, who re-tasted victory in the pursuit after four years, and the Germans in the women’s team pursuit.
Finally, the most awaited-for moment for the Danish public was the Madison. Alex Rasmussen and Michael Morkov took victory in an atmosphere of enthusiasm. Their victory also earned them first place in the overall final classification and therefore the precious ticket for China.
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