Sport

Track sprint golden double for NZ cyclist Andrews

07:03 am on 30 October 2023

Ellesse Andrews. Photo: Cycling NZ

New Zealand cyclist Ellesse Andrews stamped her class on a select field to win both the sprint and keirin finals in the UCI Track Cycling Champions League in Berlin.

It was the second of five nights of competition, comprising a select invitation field in a series with stops at Mallorca, Berlin, Paris and London (twice).

Andrews, the keirin world champion, won the opening round of the keirin, and repeated her win in Mallorca but also

added the sprint title.

Both were won in dominant fashion. She was the fastest qualifier in the sprint competition, the only female rider under 11 seconds, and went on to beat England's Katy Marchant in the final.

The New Zealand powerhouse hit the front with more than a lap to go in the keirin final, winning comfortably from Germany's Alessa Catriona-Propster and Briton Lowri Thomas.

She now assumes the overall lead in the combined sprint competition.

Fellow Cycling New Zealand sprinters Sam Dakin and Callum Saunders also enjoyed a strong meet.

Saunders was second in his sprint semifinal to qualify for his first final, while Dakin was second in his heat but did not progress from the semi.

The competition moves on to France, where the New Zealanders will get a chance to compete in the velodrome to be used for next year's Paris Olympics, and will conclude with two nights in London.