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Kelsey Mitchell wins silver in women's sprint in final round of UCI Track Champions League

Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion Kelsey Mitchell kept it close, but finished second in the women's sprint race on Saturday in the fifth and final round of the UCI Track Champions League in London.

Fellow Canadians Coles-Lyster, Van Dam also claim medals in London finale

Ben Steiner · CBC Sports ·
Canada's Kelsey Mitchell, seen above during the 2022 Commonwealth Games in July, captured sprint silver on Saturday in the final round of the UCI Track Champions League in London, England. (John Walton/The Associated Press)

Canadians captured three medals in the final stage of the UCI Track Champions League on Saturday, with Kelsey Mitchell, Sarah Van Dam and Maggie Coles-Lyster landing on the podium in London.

Mitchell, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion in the sprint, fell to France's Mathilde Gros in the sprint final, trailing by 0.017 seconds, after winning each of her heats to that point.

The 29-year-old from Sherwood Park, Alta., captured her first medal in the event and finished the season ranked second behind Gros. 

Van Dam wins scratch silver a day before her birthday

Meanwhile, Van Dam won silver in the women's scratch, finishing behind Australia's Chloe Moran. Van Dam, who turns 21 on Sunday, was the top Canadian in the event as Coles-Lyster finished fifth.

Van Dam finished fifth in Friday's scratch race before improving to second in the finale. Coles-Lyster, who had finished third twice, left the event without a medal.

The Victoria native finished the Champions League season ranked eighth among endurance athletes, while Coles-Lyster grabbed fourth place in the overall standings. 

Coles-Lyster picks up elimination bronze 

Coles-Lyster of Maple Ridge, B.C., finished in the bronze medal position in the women's elimination race, sharing the podium with British cyclist Katie Archibald and American Jennifer Valente. 

The 23-year-old from Vancouver has finished third in the event through the final three rounds of competition, sharing the podium with Valente each time. Van Dam finished 12th in the event and was among the 15 athletes Cole-Lyster outlasted on her way to the podium.

The UCI Track Champions League grew to five stages in 2022, one more than its inaugural 2021 season, with events in Mallorca, Spain, St-Quentin-En-Yvelines, France, Berlin and London through November and December.

With Saturday's events in the books, the second year of the UCI Track Champions League comes to a close, with athletes eyeing off-season preparation and looking forward to the 2023 season, as well as the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

WATCH | Final round of 2022 UCI Track Champions League from London:

UCI Track Cycling Champions League Round 5: London

2 months ago
Duration 3:57:26
Watch round five of the UCI track cycling champions league races from London, England.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ben Steiner

Freelance Writer

Ben Steiner is a freelance sports journalist and commentator with experience covering U SPORTS, FIS World Cup Alpine Skiing, IBSF World Cup Bobsled, and the Canadian National Soccer Teams. After growing up in Vancouver, he is now based in Toronto. Twitter: @BenSteiner00

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