Cycling: Yesterday, Saturday, the Track Champions League was a guest in Berlin. Apart from Emma Hinze, the best German professionals were of course also there. Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned for the local heroes in the Berlin Velodrom. Only Stefan Bötticher held up the German flag.
Bötticher is third and fourth
The German track aces, so spoiled by success, have to put up with a small setback in the Track Champions League. After what was at best an acceptable start last week on Mallorca, this weekend at the Berlin Velodrom was anything but to plan. At least two men were happy: Stefan Bötticher was third in the keirin and fourth in the sprint. He is now in third place overall in the sprint league. Dutchman Harrie Lavreysen continues to lead ahead of Australian Matthew Richardson. In the endurance league, Moritz Malcharek can currently be satisfied with sixth place. In the scratch he sensationally won a lap in front of his home crowd and ended up fourth. Canadian Mathias Guillemette is ahead in the endurance league.
Frederick has to give up
In recent years it has always been the German women who have achieved the greatest success on the track. Unfortunately, the fans currently have to do without it. Emma Hinze canceled the entire Track Champions League at the end of an exhausting season. And now Lea Sophie Friedrich is out too. The German started in Berlin, but had to give up in the keirin after lap one. She left the Berlin Velodrom in tears. In the interview, she explained her exit by saying that she was sick in bed all week. And Pauline Grabosch also explained her unusually weak performance with an illness. The German women are now far behind in the ranking. Colombia's Martha Bayona leads in the sprint league. American Jennifer Valente leads the endurance league.
Did you miss something from tonight's round 2 of the UCI Track Champions League in Berlin?
Here's your full race recap! https://t.co/G5y11TqXm6#UCITCL #trackcycling
— UCI Track Champions League (@UCITCL) November 20, 2022