Long wait goes on for Giants
ELINOR BARKER has often been likened to Laura Kenny with her gutsy riding style but, in her first chance to step into the shoes of the golden girl, she had to settle for silver on the opening day here at the World Championships.
The Welsh cyclist was just pipped to the gold in the scratch race in her bid to claim the coveted rainbow jersey of world champion vacated by her pregnant fellow Brit.
It was still Britain’s first medal in the velodrome and Barker’s maiden individual honour, having won Olympic team gold in Rio and two world titles with Kenny.
“I guess I am a small British rider with a full face helmet on, so I probably do look like Laura on the bike,” said Barker, 22.
“It’s not the first time I have heard it. I didn’t really think about it. But it is a compliment so I will take it. I am really disappointed. I know I am going to watch it back and pick it apart and think, ‘Argh, that’s where I lost the race’.
“I am happy with a silver and quite proud of it but I am not going to get to wear the world stripes next time I race the scratch race, which is what I wanted.”
Barker, who also competes in the points and madison and could come into the team pursuit squad today who can win bronze at best, attacked in the final few laps having made it into a six-person break. But with the British fans in IT IS now seven games and counting without a win for hapless Huddersfield, who are facing another grim fight against relegation.
Last July, the Giants sacked Paul Anderson and replaced him with Aussie Rick Stone, but not much has gone right since.
This comprehensive defeat was another knife in the side of a team struggling for confidence and wobbling alarmingly. Catalans were the better side and ran out emphatic victors, much to the disgust of Stone.
There was a first-half try for Giants debutant Jake Mamo but little else to cheer for Stone’s men, who were gradually picked apart by the classy French visitors.
Huddersfield did take the lead in the 13th minute when a crossfield kick from Danny Brough
HUDDERSFIELD
found Darnell McIntosh. He skillfully palmed the ball back into the path of centre Aaron Murphy, who scampered over in the left corner for a try that Brough converted.
Catalans fashioned an impressive response which saw Tony Gigot advance forward from full-back, collect a short pass from Luke Walsh and weave his way through a statuesque Huddersfield defence.
That came in the 20th minute and although Mamo – playing for the first time after ankle surgery during the close-season – touched down from Sam Wood’s grubber kick five minutes before the interval, the Dragons responded again. In the 39th minute, Richie Myler’s fine pass found centre Brayden Wiliame and he touched inside the left channel for a try converted by Walsh to make it 12-10 to Catalans at the break.
Nine minutes after the restart, Myler, above, crossed the line himself after collecting a kick from Walsh and to compound Huddersfield’s problems, Brough was sinbinned for showing dissent.
And the Dragons soon made their numerical advantage count when Vincent Duport finished off a flowing move.
With Brough back on the field, his loose pass was seized upon by Walsh, who ran 30 metres to score a fifth Catalans try.
Jermaine McGillvary replied for Huddersfield, before Gigot’s late drop-goal for Catalans, with Wood’s try a mere consolation for the Giants.