European Track Championships Day 4: Viviani wins second straight Omnium title

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Elia Viviani defended his European Omnium title by the skin of his teeth on Saturday during the fourth day of the European Track Championships in Grenchen.

The Italian led going into the final event, the points race, and ended the nail-biting contest tied on 191 points with Olympic champion Lasse Norman Hansen of Denmark. Viviani was awarded the overall win by virtue of placing higher then Hansen in the 16th and final sprint of the points race.

Jon Dibben, who started the points race down in ninth, produced a brilliantly courageous ride to gain two laps and catapult himself onto the podium for bronze.

During the morning session Viviani recorded a personal best of 1:03.724 in the kilometre time trial to take the lead after four events, and in the evening session he set himself up for the points race with victory in the flying lap (12.946).

Stefan Küng added European gold to his existing World title in the individual pursuit, and broke a Swiss record in the process.

The 21-year-old qualified with the fastest time in the morning session and was greeted onto the track for the gold medal ride with vociferous home support. Wearing the rainbow bands, he started slowly but went on to dominate Germany’s Domenic Weinstein, clocking a time of 4:14.992 and earning Switzerland its first gold of the championships.

Dutchman Dion Beukeboom took the bronze medal after getting the better of Julien Morice of France.

Bryan Coquard earned a first gold medal of the Championships for France by emerging victorious in the final of the elimination race – which was making its debut as an event in its own right.

Coquard outsprinted Italy’s Simone Consonni after the race had been whittled down from 18 riders, with Great Britain’s Chris Latham winning the bronze medal. 

Laura Trott took another step towards a third gold medal as she tightened her grip on the Omnium at the half-way stage. The Great Britain rider, who has already triumphed in the team pursuit and scratch race this week, came out on top in the elimination race, the third event in the omnium.

Having finished second in the scratch race and first in the individual pursuit during the morning session, Trott now sits top of the standings on 118 points. Amalie Dideriksen, who was second in the elimination race and in the individual pursuit, is her nearest rival on 106, with Badykova of Russia in third on 94.

During the final two events of the day, Jeffrey Hoogland of the Netherlands won gold in the men's 1km time trial, and Anastasiia Voinova of Russia took the top honours in the 500m time trial. Hoogland covered his kilometre in 01:00.350, jus ahead of Joachim Eilers (Germany) in second and Robin Wagner (Czech Republic) in third. Voinova covered the 500m in 0:32.794

Morning session

The Omnium was the main feature of the morning session on day 4 and two of the favourites in the men's and women's events, Elia Viviani and Laura Trott, both took significant steps to potential victory. 

Viviani finished fifth in the kilometre time trial, the fourth race in the men's event, and in doing so moved to the top of the leaderboard. The Italian managed a personal best of 1:03.724, while Lucas Liss of Germany took top spot with 1:02.779. 

Viviani was second going into the TT but succeeded in overhauling Russia's Viktor Manokov, who now finds himself in third. It's still anyone's to win, though, with Viviani only tied in first place with Tim Veldt (Netherlands) on 130 points, and Manakov tied in third on 126 points with Danish Olympic champion Lasse Norman Hansen.

In the women's Omnium, Trott, who was beginning her bid for a third gold medal after her triumphs in the team pursuit and scratch race, could hardly have made a better start. The Great Britain rider finished second in the opening scratch race before storming to victory in the individual pursuit.

The scratch race was a cagey affair for the most part, but Lithuanian Ausrine Trebaite succeeded in breaking free with nine laps remaining, taking a lap and securing victory. It then came down to a sprint for second and Trott opened it up with one lap remaining, successfully holding off Laurie Berthon (France) and Kirsten Wild (Netherlands). The reigning Olympic Omnium champion then produced a commanding display in the individual pursuit, catching Trebaite with ease and clocking 3:32.699 - comfortably clear of the second fastest time of 3:33.833 posted by Amalie Dideriksen (Denmark).

The morning session also saw the qualifying heats in the men's individual pursuit, where world champion and home favourite Stefan Küng made a real statement of intent with a time of 4:15.678. Germany's Domenic Weinstein was second fastest in the heats and earned the right to face Kung in the gold medal rid, while Dion Beukeboom (NED) and Julien Morice (FRA), were next best and set up a bronze medal showdown.

Men's Individual Pursuit Qualifying

Men's Individual Pursuit Finals

Men's Elimination Race

Men's 1km Time Trial

Women's 500m Time Trial

Women's Omnium Scratch Race

Women's Omnium Individual Pursuit

Women's Omnium Elimination Race

Men's Omnium 1km Time Trial

Results

Men's Omnium Overall