ALWAYS THE BRIDESMAID... BUT NOT ANYMORE AS BARKER CLINCHES A FIRST INDIVIDUAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GOLD MEDAL ON THE TRACK
ELINOR Barker claimed her third medal of the Track Cycling World Championships with a brilliant gold in the women’s points race.
Barker won her second silver medal on Saturday’s fourth day, claiming second place in the inaugural women’s Madison alongside Emily Nelson.
And she was determined to prevail in the 100-lap (25-kilometres) points race, which featured 10 sprints, the final day of competition after also finishing second in the scratch race on Wednesday’s opening day.
Barker won with 59 points, Sarah Hammer of the United States was second on 51 and Kirsten Wild of Holland third with 35.
The 22-year-old Cardiff rider had to show all her composure and dig deep when Hammer claimed a second lap of the field on her own and Barker combined with Wild and Belgium’s Lotte Kopecky to take her second lap 10 laps from the end and seal victory.
It was Britain’s fifth medal and second gold of the five-day competition, following Katie Archibald’s omnium success on Friday.
Archibald and Barker won Olympic team pursuit gold in Rio, but the pair were given an individual focus here.
And Barker now has a third world title following team pursuit wins in 2013 and 2014.
Barker was thrilled to hold off Hammer and take victory, and appeared a little emotional ahead of the presentation of her world champion’s jersey and gold medal.
She said: “It was awful to ride. Absolutely horrible. I was lucky, I suppose, in that Sarah Hammer and I had that gap to the rest so I didn’t need to score in the final sprint.
“I’ve come so close so many times. I feel like I’m a constant bunch race bridesmaid. I’m trying to learn from years and years and years of mistakes. I just had to go when I could.
“I still made mistakes in that. I should’ve been right on Hammer’s wheel when she went (for the second time).”
When Barker was in sight of her second lap her track side coach Chris Newton instructed her to sprint.
“There was nothing else to do,” Barker added. “If I didn’t sprint I was never going to get there. It was just about getting to her rather than (points).”