Coryn Labecki is the new US criterium champion after pulling off a perfect winning sprint. Her final effort resulted in her beating the L39ION of Los Angeles riders, a team that specialises in criterium racing and which was lined out on the front right before the finish.
Labecki absolutely schooled L39ION of Los Angeles with her perfect timing, meaning they were powerless to control her. However, that didn't stop them complaining at the finish when they were beaten to the gold medal. There's a lot here we can learn from the Jumbo Visma rider as her approach to this finish can be applied to any sprint finish with a few late corners. Let's take it step by step.
1 Initial positioning
With four L39ION of Los Angeles riders on the front in lead-out train formation, Labecki finds herself just off the back of their train as the final lap starts. However, before she is about to pull the trigger, she makes sure she passes two or three riders in front of her, meaning she is right on the wheel of the fourth L39ION of Los Angeles rider; the ideal position to be in. She makes sure she doesn't have to pass even one more rider than she needs to when she eventually makes her move.
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2 Full commitment
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This is not a straight forward sprint to the line. Instead, it was important to be on the front going into the penultimate corner and absolutely crucial to go into the final bend in the lead. Once Labecki began her effort to make sure she was first into the final two corners she went for it. She made her move and then fully committed; no half measures, just 'go'.
3 First into the corners
Usually when a finish line is positioned just out of the final corner, there is an intense battle to get into that corner first because the scope to pass anyone just before the finish line is minimal. However, on this course the finish was very technical, with three late corners. And so Labecki had clearly made a decision to be first into the third last corner and hold her position from there. She attacked hard, got in front and then held it all the way. The crucial decision was picking the third last corner to be first into and not just the final corner, by which time the battle for position was over.
4 Corners more important than finish line
Labecki took a very robust approach to ensuring she was ahead of eventual runner-up Kendall Ryan (L39ION of Los Angeles) on the third last and penultimate corners. Her approach was to treat both of those corners as if they were the finish line and she wasn't afraid do some bumping. It helped her maintain her lead position, keeping Ryan behind her. There was such a short stretch of road between the corners that the scope to pass there was very limited. It meant whoever cornered best was going to win. Exiting those final two bends as wide she she could also meant Labecki closed the door on Ryan's most obvious, and fastest, overtaking route. That tactic clearly frustrated Ryan. However, placing yourself on the road in a manner that blocks the rider behind is a completely legitimate tactic. In this case, it robbed Ryan of her two last chances to take the lead.
5 Last observation
Around halfway through the last lap, two team mates - in green and yellow kit - try to make their way up the outside towards the front of the bunch. They swing right out into the open road (to the left of screen as you look at the footage). But despite really digging in, they make no progress as the speed of the group was simply too high. Their inability to move up - even by a few positions - really underlines how important it was to be very close to the front long before the final push for the line ramps up. Leaving yourself with even three or four riders to pass so late in the race puts you at a massive disadvantage compared to those riders who are better positioned, and in the wheels, ahead of you.
