Great Britain finished off their European Track Championships in Paris with silver in the first-ever women’s Madison for Emily Kay and Emily Nelson to cap off a promising competition for the young team.
While Olympic champion Katie Archibald was the star of the show at the event in Saint Quentin en Yvelines, just outside the French capital, there were plenty of other British riders who impressed over the five days.
And in the first senior women’s Madison, Kay and Nelson fought back to claim silver behind Dutch duo Kirsten Wild and Jolien Dhoore.
Kay told British Cycling: “It’s pretty amazing to be part of the first women’s Madison. It was a tough race and we fought all the way so we’re happy to get silver.
“To be with Kirsten Wild who’s just got second at the road World Champs, and Jolien who got bronze at the Olympics, just to be in a bunch with them is pretty amazing.
“I think it shows how big women’s cycling is becoming, to have a field like that in the Madison, and the first-ever Madison, is pretty amazing.”
Nelson added: “I think we went a little bit big at the start and paid for it in the middle but we came back strong. I think we were sitting fourth or fifth, so to get silver, we’re both really happy with that.”
Elsewhere on the final day Joe Truman finished sixth in the keirin to complete a great win in which he had won silver in the team sprint.
Archibald led the way for Great Britain overall, claiming two gold medals in the omnium and the individual pursuit, along with a silver in the elimination race.
And despite the absence of the majority of Britain’s Rio gold medallists, including Laura and Jason Kenny, there was plenty of potential on show which bodes well for the future.
In fact Britain picked up eight medals in all, level with the Netherlands for the most overall.
As well as their Madison success, Kay and Nelson were also part of the women’s team pursuit team that claimed bronze, alongside Dannielle Khan and Manon Lloyd.
Elinor Barker, the other female Rio gold medallist in action, got the remaining medal on the women’s side, earning silver in the scratch race.
On the men’s side Jack Carlin and Ryan Owens joined Truman for the team sprint silver, while Matthew Bostock, Oliver Wood, Kian Emadi and Mark Stewart took bronze in the team pursuit, with Olympic gold medallist Steven Burke featuring in the qualifiers. Sportsbeat 2016