After the excitement of last night's gold medal in the elimination race at the European Track Championships in Belgium, Lara Gillespie has this evening again proven she is now firmly among the top tier of world track racing.
However, she has come agonisingly short of adding more silverware to her collection in the omnium, despite proving one of the very strongest right to the end of the concluding points race.
At the end of the four events that make up the omnium - scratch race, tempo, elimination race and points race - Gillespie took 2nd in the final sprint, of eight, in the 80-lap points race.
And though there were double points on offer for that final sprint - won by Lorena Wiebes of the Netherlands - it wasn't enough for the Irish rider to improve on her 5th place overall.
Advertisement
She ended the event in 5th place, just seven points off the bronze medal winner, Denmark's Amalie Dideriksen.
Gillespie had started the points race this evening in equal 6th, on 86 points, and some 20 points off leader, Great Britain's Sophie Madelaine Leech.
Ireland's Gillespie won the opening sprint, gaining 5 points and bringing her up to equal 3rd overall, on 91 points. The Irish woman was 3rd at the next sprint, gaining two points and moving up into the bronze medal position.
Related News
The following sprint saw the points mopped up by a breakaway, which then continued to ride and looked like they may gain a lap, and 20 points each.
However, though Gillespie got across to that group with a big effort with about 45 laps to go, the riders returned from behind and a large bunch again formed; meaning nobody gained a lap.
However, Denmark's Amalie Dideriksen then went on a solo move, winning a sprint and leapfrogging Gillespie into the bronze medal position; on 95 points to Gillespie's 93. Anita Yvonne Steinberg of Norway was also in the mix for a medal and continued to score.
Wiebes, Dideriksen and Gillespie were then 1-2-3 at the sixth sprint. The top three scored at the penultimate sprint, though Gillespie did not.
Though Gillespie was 2nd at the final sprint, and Dideriksen did not score, their order did not change; Dideriksen taking the bronze, Anita Yvonne Steinberg of Norway taking 4th and Gillespie remaining in 5th.
Leader Leech crashed with two laps to go, after a rub of shoulders with Gillespie. And when Wiebes won the final sprint she took the gold off the British rider, who was tearful due to the last gaps disappointment.
In the end, Wiebes and Leech scored 114 points, with Dideriksen 3rd on 103 and Gillespie 4th on 102.
Omnium | Final Result
