UCI Track Cycling World Championships: Great Britain’s Ethan Hayter wins gold in omnium

British rider Ethan Hayter claimed gold in the Omnium at the 2022 UCI Track Cycling World Championships at Vélodrome National de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, the site of the 2024 Paris Olympics track cycling events.

Hayter was untouchable, finishing with a 20 point bonus. French rider Benjamin Thomas stormed home to claim silver, while New Zealander Aaron Gate took the bronze. Thomas, twice world champion himself, was chasing a third crown, but Hayter could not be topped.

With 11 laps to go, Hayter took off. Thomas tried to match him, and nearly did. Gate, who finished second in the event last year, held on to take third.

Hayter won his first world title in 2018 as part of the British team pursuit squad.

Hayter is the first rider to successfully defend the Omnium title since Fernando Gaviria in 2015 and 2016.

After an impressive year on the road, Hayter returned to the track in Paris.

The British rider suffered a rare setback in September at the World Championships, when his chain came off late in the time trial during the event in Wollongong, Australia.

That disappointment aside, Hayter won the British National Time Trial, the Tour of Poland as well as stages of the Tours of Romandie, Norway, Algarve and impressing in the Vuelta.

Earlier in the evening, GB’s Josie Knight picked up bronze in the individual pursuit.

Germany’s Franziska Brausse took first place, while another New Zealander, Bryony Bortha, snatched silver.

Belgian duo Lotte Kopecky and Shari Bossuyt beat out French pair Clara Copponi and Valentine Fortin by a single point in the women’s madison only after the inverse was initially announced. The confusion was swiftly cleared up and the Belgians were confirmed as the champions.

Home town hero Marie-Divine Kouame also won the women’s 500m on a busy afternoon in Paris.

The 20-year-old beat out German Emma Hinze and and Chinese rider Yufang Guo to claim the title.

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