Britain’s Laura Trott did not put a wheel out place as she claimed her second gold medal of the world track cycling championships with a dominant victory in the omnium yesterday.
Trott, who won Olympic gold in the multi-discipline event on the same London boards four years ago, was a model of consistency throughout two days and maintained her stranglehold during the concluding points race.
Her boyfriend Jason Kenny could not match her though as his hopes of adding keirin gold to the men’s sprint title he won on Saturday fizzled out as he rolled home last in the final.
Joachim Eilers won the title from New Zealand’s Edward Dawkins. The German took his gold medal haul to two having already won the men’s time trial.
“I didn’t have the legs,” Kenny, who was spent after Saturday’s sprint climax when he beat Australia’s Matthew Glaetzer, said.
China celebrated a first world sprint champion when Tianshi Zhong defeated compatriot Lin Junhong 2-0 in the final.
Zhong had upset twice world champion Kristina Vogel of Germany in the semi-final when her team mate also sprung a surprise, outpacing Australia’s Olympic champion Anna Meares.
Local girl Trott, a favourite with the sell-out crowds at the sleek London velodrome, just had to stay out of trouble over the last 40 laps of the 100-lap points race, having extended the 12-point lead she built up over the first five disciplines.
There were no alarms as she finished with 201 points, 18 ahead of her rivals.
The battle for silver went right down to the wire with France’s Laurie Berthron edging Olympic silver-medallist Sarah Hammer of the U.S. in the final sprint.
“I spoke to my coach before and he said if I get to the last 20 laps to go with a big lead I could just ride around and follow,” the 23-year-old told the BBC.
“It’s taken four years to get the gold medal back,” she added referring the omnium world gold she won just before winning two golds at the London Olympics.
Hammer said Trott had raised the bar with five months until Rio.
“She’s an incredible rider, an intense competitor,” Hammer, who steered the US to team pursuit gold earlier in the week, told reporters.
“She’s the one to beat but I’ll enjoy going after her.”