Irish rider Erin Creighton has finished 4th in the elimination race at the World Junior Track Championships in Israel, where she very narrow missed taking a medal.
Creighton rode a brilliant race, planting herself at or near the front of the large field as rider after rider was eliminated when they were last over the line during the sprint laps.
As the event progressed, Creighton found herself towards the back of the field and had the legs to go last and then go around the outside three times to pass the bunch and get herself back to the front.
Those efforts likely burnt a few matches and when she remained in the race to the point the field numbered just four riders, Creighton perhaps paid for those big power surges earlier in the race.
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As the four remaining riders sprinted for the line, Creighton found herself at the back and only narrowly failed to pip the British rider Isabel Sharp on the line.
If she had done, she would have been guaranteed a medal but instead had to settle for 4th, though that is a fantastic result at this level. The McConvey Cycles rider showed great confidence and power during the race and turned out a performance that bodes very well for her future.
How it unfolded
The race was neutralised twice while the field was still very large; once when a sole Italian rider crashed and then shortly after the re-start when about eight riders all came down in the same incident. That second crash brought the event to a stop for a period.
After the re-start, Creighton was not as well placed in the field, finding herself close to the back. However, she put in a big effort at the top of the track, overtaking a field and going to first place and out of danger.
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However, as riders continued to be eliminated and the field was whittled back to about 15 riders, it became harder to hold place near the front, though Creighton managed it for a long period.
As she was doing do so, another rider – one of the Germans – crashed and the race was neutralised again, though did not stop.
At the re-start, Creighton once again found herself at the front before drifting backwards. However, she once more overtook the group high on the track and positioned herself again at the front. She quickly that big overtaking move for a third time just before the sprint that reduced the field to eight riders.
Spain was next to be eliminated followed by the Netherlands, with Creighton now into the final six. At the next sprint, Creighton again moved up the track to gain position, with Italy eliminated leaving just five riders.
And on the next lap Creighton put in a great sprint to just get ahead of one of the American, and stay in the race, as it numbered only four riders.
However, the next sprint saw Creighton narrowly go out. She was at the back of the field gaining on the British rider, Isabel Sharp, but just failed to overtake her and so went out.
At the next sprint, it was Sharp who went out, with bronze, leaving it to Barbara Nemchova of the Czech Republic to sprint against one of the Ukrainian riders in the two-up sprint for gold and silver.
More to come.
