By Martyn Herman
SAINT QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France (Reuters) – When Britain opened seven compelling days of racing at the National Velodrome by winning the women’s team sprint in a world record time it seemed the country’s domination of Olympic track cycling would extend through the Paris Games.
By the end, however, it was the only gold medal they would win from the 12 events — their lowest total since winning a solitary title in 2000 when Britain were still two-wheeled also-rans.
While Britain managed eight medals and 21-year-old Emma Finucane confirmed that she is the new face of British cycling with a gold and two bronzes on her Games debut, other nations and riders left them in the shade.
Not least the Netherlands, who were toasting Harrie ‘hat-trick’ Lavreysen after the sprint king remained unbeatable throughout the week, sweeping golds in sprint and team sprint before landing the keirin on the final day.
In doing so he took his Olympic gold medal tally to five, more than any other Dutchman in history, and few would bet against him matching the seven career golds won by British sprint great Jason Kenny at Los Angeles in 2028.
“If he wants to go to Los Angeles, I feel sorry for the rest of the world,” Dutch team coach Mehdi Kordi said.
New Zealand’s Ellesse Andrews was not far behind Lavreysen, breaking new ground for her country by winning the sprint and keirin as well as leading her team to silver in the team sprint.
The United States finally got their hands on the women’s team pursuit title that had proved so elusive — beating nemesis Britain to reach the final and edging New Zealand for gold.
The American team had won two silvers and a bronze in the pursuit at the last three Games but Chloe Dygert, Jennifer Valente, Lily Williams and Kristen Faulkner delivered.
Faulkner, 31, became the first American woman to win gold medals in two different disciplines at the same Olympics, having also taken a surprise win in the road race.
Australia’s men also ended years of hurt in the iconic event, setting a world record, one of many in a super-fast, super-heated velodrome, on the way to winning the men’s team pursuit against old rivals Britain in the final.
There was French joy too, as Benjamin Thomas made up for finishing fourth in Tokyo by taking gold in the omnium.
American Valente won the women’s omnium.
And during a week of fast and furious action on the boards, Portugal provided one of the most memorable moments.
Iuri Leitao delivered his country’s first Olympic track cycling medal with silver in the omnium before going one better in the Madison, coming out of nowhere to snatch gold alongside team mate Rui Oliveira.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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