Matt Richardson wins UCI Track Nation Cup sprint gold in Canada
WAIS graduate Matt Richardson has made an outstanding start to the track cycling season culminating in sprint gold at the second round of the UCI Track Nation Cup in Canada.
Richardson claimed what is the biggest result of his career defeating Jeffrey Hoogland the Tokyo Olympic silver medallist to win the sprint in Milton.
“Today was awesome – one of my favourite days I’ve ever had on my bike,” Richardson said.
“I just took confidence in my legs and raced the best way I could. The confidence is definitely building.
“There is still more work to be done when I get home but it’s certainly a good start to the season.
The opening two World Cups of the year has seen Richardson compete in five events and won a medal in all five.
In Glasgow last month he spearheaded a young team sprint lineup to gold, while picking up two individual medals with sprint silver and keirin bronze. He also claimed keirin silver in Milton.
Richardson now turns his attention to the World Championships and Commonwealth Games, in what is a packed year of high level track cycling action.
“I’ll take my experiences from these two Nations Cups and try and learn as much as possible for Commonwealth Games and the World Championships later this year.”
WAIS graduate Jai Hindley has again impressed at the Giro d’Italia winning stage nine atop Blockhaus to confirm his challenge for the overall title.
The first of the three very tough stages at the Giro, with over 5,000 metres of altitute gain, stage nine was the first real test for the overall contenders.
After the last of the escapees was caught inside the final 15 kilometres, the general classification contenders came to the front. Under a fast tempo set by Ineos Grenadiers, riders began to fall off the back with Hindley, the 2020 runner up safely in the select group.
An attack by Richard Carapaz created a more select leading trio with Mikel Landa and Romain Bardet. Behind Hindley was part of the first chase group. A slowing of the pace saw the two groups join only to split again. Behind Hindley and the chasers kept the leading trio in sight and closed them down inside the final kilometre.
Hindley took to the front and used his knowledge of the finish ton time his sprint to perfection and hold the challengers off to take the stage.
“I didn’t really expect to take the win today. I was on the edge all the way up the mountain, trying to survive as best I could. In the last kilometre everything came together and I knew about the right turn before the finish so I went through there first and just gave it my all until the finish,” said Hindley
“I rode my own pace, and suffered pretty badly in the end. We came here with three leaders and big ambitions and you shouldn’t write anyone off at this point. Also, this win is incredible because last year was not an easy season for me. I had to leave the Giro early in 2021, so it was great to win today, especially in Abruzzo where I raced so often as an amateur.”