Ireland's Mitchell takes gold at World Masters Track Champs

Susie Mitchell in the iconic rainbow bands at the World Masters Track Championships in Manchester.

Irish rider Susie Mitchell has won a world title at the World Masters Track Cycling Championships in Manchester.

Her victory on Friday brought to five her medal tally from these Worlds and was the second world title of her career, having previously taken the individual pursuit.

Mitchell put in a really strong ride to take points in four of the six sprints in the combined 35-49 years event last evening.

She was 3rd in the opening sprint after 10 laps and followed that up with third again in the 50-lap sprint and at the finish, as well as taking 4th in the sprint at the 40-lap marker.

In the end she gathered seven points, which put her at the top of the 40-44 years group of riders within the field.

The mixing of the age groups in the same event made for some complex tactics with several races going at the same time.

After Mitchell had placed in the opening sprint, one of her main rivals for the title, Melanie Sneddon of Great Britain, launched an attack in an effort to gain a lap.

That forced Mitchell into an early chase to bring her rival back; a pattern that would repeat several times through the race.

With a reputation for winning points races in the UK by attacking and gaining laps, Sneddon was marked tightly all the way by Mitchell, who beat her British nemesis sprinting at every opportunity.

The Sundrive Track Team athlete had already taken bronze in her age category in the 500 metre TT at the championships, in a new personal best of 38.909, and had also won a bronze in the scratch race.

And competing with fellow Irish rider Orla Hendron and Kiwi Erin Criglington she took silver in the open women's team pursuit. She also won silver in the individual pursuit.

Runner up to Mitchell last night; Criglington is a triple world champion from 12 months ago and has emerged as Mitchell's main rival at these championships.

While they would compete in the same three-rider line-up in the open team pursuit, the Kiwi went head-to-head with the Irish woman in the individual pursuit ride-off that decided gold and silver.

Criglington gained time on Mitchell in the middle of the pursuit, though the Irish rider stormed back at her and just came up short in her efforts to catch and pass her.

Friday, Oct 10th: Points Race

Full Result, 15km Final (60 laps)

1st Christelle Ribault* FRA 19
2nd Niki Kovacs* GBR 11
3rd Janet Birkmyre*** GBR 11
4th Louise Haston* GBR 10
5th Susie Mitchell** IRL 7
6th Erin Criglington** NZL 5
7th Ruth Taylor* GBR 3
8th Melanie Sneddon** GBR 0
9th Lorna Ferguson* GBR 0
10th Cheryl Fuller Muller** USA 0
11th Susannah Doyle** GBR 0
12th Maria Mora Cirer*** ESP 0
13th Francine Haas*** USA 0
14th Monica Nevitt*** USA 0
15th Adelia Reyneke* RSA 0
16th Laurel Green*** USA 0
17th Suzan Bowman* RSA -10 -10
18th Sonya Keay*** AUS DNF
19th Lesley Pinder* GBR DNF
20th Fiona Walker** GBR DNF