Powerhouse sprinter Stefan Botticher had a banner world championship session in Minsk where he won two gold medals. The 21-year-old first struck gold as part of Germany's team sprint squad with Rene Enders and Maximilian Levy followed by the individual world championship in the men's sprint. Botticher had a hard road to gold in the individual sprint as he had to go through the repechage rounds after losing in the 1/8 finals to Olympic champion Jason Kenny, but from then he steadily advanced through to the finals where he dispatched of Russia's Denis Dmitriev in straight heats. Botticher is a multi-time German and European champion in the sprint, team sprint and keirin and ended the 2012-2013 track season ranked second in the UCI standings for the sprint and third for keirin.
Sarah Hammer was the sole US representative at the track world championships in Minsk and the veteran track rider left Belarus with two world championships added to her considerable palmares. Hammer qualified fastest in the individual pursuit and then earned her fifth pursuit world title against Australia's Amy Cure. Hammer followed that performance with a world championship in the omnium, her first world title in the discipline and the sixth rainbow jersey of her career. The 30-year-old American finished the 2012-2013 track season ranked first in the UCI standings for both the individual pursuit and omnium.
Australia's Michael Hepburn started 2013 with a successful defence of his national individual pursuit title and then earned two world championships in Minsk. The 22-year-old was part of Australian's victorious team pursuit squad, which qualified fastest and then dispatched of Great Britain in the final, and then qualified fastest in the individual pursuit and earned gold against Ireland's Martyn Irvine in the final. The individual pursuit gold was the second straight for Hepburn in the discipline.
Martyn Irvine's solo attack to earn the scratch race world championship in Minsk was a historic victory for Ireland, the country's first track world championship gold medal in 117 years. The Irishman also earned the silver medal in the individual pursuit at the world championships in Minsk and ended the 2012-2013 track season as the top-ranked rider on the UCI standings for the scratch race and second-ranked rider for the pursuit.
Rebecca James made history as the first rider from Great Britain to win four medals in a single world championship. James, 21, became a double world champion, winning both the keirin and individual sprint, plus earned bronze in both the 500m time trial and team sprint, where she partnered with 19-year-old Victoria Williamson. James finished the 2012-2013 track season as the top-ranked rider on the UCI sprint standings.
Belgium's Iljo Keisse is a renowned six-day rider, with 21 victories in his career palmares. Over the previous winter's six-day season Keisse prevailed in his beloved home six-day in Gent, Belgium (for the fifth time) with partner Glenn O'Shea and then won in Rotterdam with Dutchman Niki Terpstra.
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Great Britain's Jason Kenny won the keirin world championship in Minsk in February of this year, the second world title of his career, then followed that up with British national titles in both the keirin and sprint in September. Kenny also earned a silver in the keirin and bronze in the sprint at the European championships.
Hong Kong's Wai Sze Lee earned two medals at the Minsk world championships: gold in the 500m time trial and bronze in the women's sprint. Lee won the sprint at the World Cup round in Cali, Colombia and also ended the 2012-2013 track season as the top-ranked rider on the UCI standings for both the 500m time trial and keirin.
Great Britain's Laura Trott won two medals at the track world championships in Minsk: gold as part of Great Britain's team pursuit squad plus silver to Sarah Hammer in the omnium. Trott claimed two titles at the European track championships in the team pursuit and omnium. At the British track championships Trott claimed four national titles (team pursuit, points race, individual pursuit and Madison) plus a silver in the scratch race.
Germany's Kristina Vogel was a double medalist at the track world championships in Minsk where she won the team sprint gold medal (with teammate Miriam Welte) and a silver medal in the 500m time trial. Vogel won three German titles (sprint, keirin, team sprint) at her national championships and also won the European championship for the sprint.
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