Dylan Bibic scored yet another UCI Track Champions League victory for Canada in the penultimate round at the Lee Valley velodrome in London, England. Having won races in all three host cities of the 2024 series, he is poised to earn his second consecutive men’s endurance title.. Sarah van Dam was runner-up in the elimination race and remains second overall in the endurance category.
Going into the penultimate round in London, Bibic led Dane Tobias Aagaard Hansen by nine points at the top of standings, while van Dam trailed British endurance category leader Katie Archibald by 27 points. Van Dam also had to worry about Czech Petra Sevcikova only four points behind. Both Canadians had wins in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands last weekend.
Friday’s action on the boards started for Canada in the 30-lap women’s scratch race. With 16 laps to go, two Irish riders bolted with a Mexican. Archibald was prominent in the chase, and finally the pursuit made the catch with three laps remaining. Archibald was runner-up to Anita Yvotte Stenberg but van Dam got boxed in and placed eighth.
Bibic’s first test of London was also the scratch. On Day 2 in Apeldoorn, Bibic was ninth and American Peter Moore the winner. The gents faced 30 laps too. With 12 laps to go, first Dutchman Philip Heijnen flew the coop and then a bridging move created a leading quintet. Bibic had to slalom through the field to finish 10th to Moore.
Next was the Race of the Dreaded Blinking Light, the women’s elimination race, a sprint every two laps and the last rider over the line was pulled from the boards. An Irish woman was the first to get the hook. Sevcikova was fourth eliminated. Archibald was surprised to follow six sprints later. Van Dam was in the final four with Stenberg. Then it came down to Irish rider Laura Gillespie and Van Dam. Gillespie prevailed.
Van Dam is now 26 points behind Archibald and four points better than Stenberg, Sevcikova dropped to sixth in the category. Last season van Dam was sixth while Maggie Coles-Lyster was fifth. In 2022 van Dam came eighth and Coles-Lyster was third.
Hansen was the world men’s elimination champion. Heijnen was the first to be eliminated. When Moore felt the yank, there were six left, Bibic and Hensen still on board. Larsen getting pulled left three. It was down to Bibic and…
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