Olympic champion Laura Trott led the charge for Great Britain on the final day of the 2015/16 UCI Track Cycling World Cup in Hong Kong on Sunday, claiming omnium gold after an impressive battle with long-term rival Sarah Hammer.
The 23-year-old’s triumph sealed overall victory for Great Britain in both the event and the 2015/16 World Cup series, alongside a bronze for Jason Kenny in the men’s sprint.
Trott was in the driving seat thanks to opening up an 18-point lead on Hammer after Saturday’s three events, and in the decisive points race both riders kept their cards to their chest in the early stages.
But on the fifth sprint they showed their hands, with the American gaining a point on Trott before the Briton pipped her on both the final two sprints to extend her winning margin and send out a strong message to her opponents with the world championships approaching.
“I think this track, because it's quite grippy, I think it took the steam out of everybody and it ended up just being a race where you could just follow and sit in a lot more,” Trott told British Cycling.
“I've really enjoyed it actually - I wasn't looking forward to the points race - after three days doing the team pursuit as well yesterday it really did take it out of me and I was worried how I was going to feel.
“With 20 laps to go because I'd already won I was like 'should I just attack' but it kind of left me on the back foot.
“So I thought, ‘I best just to get to the finish’ and I guess that's what I did."
Trott’s win leaves her eight points behind World Cup leader Kirsten Wild of the Netherlands on 300, while Kenny took an excellent bronze in the sprint – beating Francois Pervis of France in two straight rides.
The 27-year-old overcame team-mate Callum Skinner in the quarter-finals, beating the Scot 2-0, before losing out to Australia’s Patrick Constable in the semis.
And Mark Cavendish just missed the medals on his World Cup return, finishing in fourth place in the men’s omnium.
Sportsbeat 2016