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The battle between Jennifer Valente (USA) and Katie Archibald (Great Britain) lit up the second round of the UCI Track Champions League in Berlin.
The pair dominated both events on Saturday night to sail clear at the top of the overall women’s endurance standings.
The night belonged to Archibald, who edged out her rival to win both the Scratch Race and Elimination Race. However, Valente, second in both events, clung onto the blue jersey as the leader of the women’s endurance category after the second of five rounds.
In the Scratch, Archibald took the race by the scruff of the neck, accelerating away after just three of the 20 laps. Valente was forced into action and eventually worked her way across, from which point the pair worked together to convert their advantage into a lap gain, rejoining the bunch with three laps to go.
Valente then sat up in the final dash for the line, allowing Archibald to take victory and the maximum 20 points.
Later in the Elimination Race, there were shock early exits as elimination expert Laura Kenny (Great Britain) was ruled out first, followed by last week’s winner Anita Stenberg (Norway). Eventually Archibald and Valente were the last two standing, and when Archibald issued her final acceleration, Valente once again sat up and settled for second.
In the overall standings, Valente moves to 66 points but sees her lead cut by Archibald, who’s up to 60 after winning the Scratch but exiting first in the Elimination in Mallorca on the first round of the Champions League. Lily Williams (USA) is the closest challenger in third on 43 points.
“Tonight has gone brilliantly and two wins feels amazing,” Archibald said. “I feel like I’ve come in with a super power. I always love riding here in Berlin, I adore it. The crowd tonight was fantastic. I’m very happy to be back in the mix in the Endurance league.”
Men’s Sprint
A similar rivalry is emerging in the men’s sprint division, as Matthew Richardson (Australia) and Harrie…
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