By Shane Stokes
Less than three hours after helping the Irish team pursuit squad to a fine fourth place, Mia Griffin was in action again in the European Championship scratch race in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands.
The Kilkenny rider was tenth in what was a hard-paced and chaotic finale, being hemmed in when riders were fighting for position and having to expend a lot of energy.
The race was won in a big sprint by the Frenchwoman Clara Copponi, with the Belgian Lani Wittevrongel tracking her in the gallop but lacking the speed to get past. Italy’s Martina Fidanza was third, just ahead of the Pole Daria Pikulik.
The bunch stayed together throughout Thursday's event with nobody able to open a significant gap. The pace was cagey early on and gradually ramped up all the way to the finish.
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Griffin was riding close to the front with five laps to go, trying to avoid getting boxed in, but found herself pushed back with four laps to go when a wave of riders swept past high on the banking.
She fought hard to get into a better position but had to use up a lot of power in that scrap and ended up halfway back with a lap and a half to go.
Copponi let fly on the back straight and dragged Wittevrongel clear of the rest. The Frenchwoman had the power to hold on for gold, with Fidanza racing in for third and what was her second medal of the evening.
She had been part of the victorious squad in the team pursuit, with the Italian team comfortably beating their British rivals.
Next up of the Irish is double under 23 European champion Lara Gillespie, who disputes the women’s omnium on Friday. She will also compete in Saturday’s points race, while Griffin will go in the elimination.
Gillespie and Alice Sharpe will then twin up in the women’s madison race on Sunday, while Kelly Murphy and Erin Creighton will each ride the individual pursuit.
