Sunday October 24th 2021
Best record ever at the World Cycling Championships
“Bahnsinn” ends in the German gold rush
First place in the medal table, and that with the best record of an all-German team: The Track Cycling World Championships in Roubaix is a single celebration from a German perspective, the women dominate the competitions almost at will.
Lea Sophie Friedrich almost raced out of the sickbed to three world championship titles, Emma Hinze was again the radiant sprint queen, and Lisa Brennauer shone in the golden “persecution madness”: The German track bike aces have a really big one at the World Championships in Roubaix Show and delivered an impressive show of power less than two months after the sometimes bumpy Olympic appearance.
“That’s unbelievable for me, I’m so happy!”, Said the only 21-year-old Friedrich, who surprisingly also triumphed in the Keirin at the end and became the most successful athlete in northern France with three gold and one silver – just before the WM spent another full week in bed very cold.
Friedrich had won gold in the 500-meter time trial on Saturday and had previously won the title in the team sprint and silver in the individual sprint. “Actually, I didn’t want to drive the 500 at all,” said the high-flyer, “you really shouldn’t say that: You couldn’t cancel me. I said: Fuck it, Lea, then I’ll just defend my title.”
She made a significant contribution to the fact that the team of the Association of German Cyclists (BDR) not only beat the top result of the home World Championships 2020 in Berlin (4-1-3) with six gold, two silver and three bronze medals, but also that achieved the best World Cup result for an all-German team. There was also first place in the medal table ahead of the Netherlands.
“Didn’t feel as good as in Berlin”
Thanks to Friedrich’s appearance on Sunday, the German selection could also get over the fact that Spurt Queen Hinze, slightly ill, did without the Keirin start. Hinze had already been richly decorated with gold in the sprint and team sprint. “It’s really cool – I had a few bills that I wanted to settle,” said the 24-year-old from Cottbus: “I didn’t believe in it beforehand because I didn’t feel as good as I did before Berlin.” At that time she had achieved the golden three in sprint, team sprint and keirin.
“Crazy”, commented national coach Detlef Uibel on the sheer “Bahnsinn” in the northern French cycling stronghold: “A historical success that shows that the Olympics were burdened with many problems on the fringes. Here Emma focused again.” With 37 world championship titles under his direction, the successful coach, who is leaving at the end of the season, will “retire”.
The almost unbeatable pursuers around Brennauer provided the most impressive proof of strength. The 33-year-old won the individual final on Saturday ahead of her teammate Franziska Brauße, with bronze in the small final, Mieke Kröger made the German triple victory perfect. “The focus here was on the foursome. To be on the podium with three players now is amazing. So much has happened in this long season that I didn’t expect,” said Brennauer.
In Roubaix she had already won gold in the four with Brauße, Kröger and Laura Süßemilch, the quartet had triumphed in the singles at the European Championships two weeks earlier like Brennauer. And Brennauer’s Olympic victory in Tokyo with Brauße, Kröger and Lisa Klein is enthroned above everything.