End of show in the UEC Track Juniors and Under-23 European Championships. The Sangalhos National Velodrome experienced exciting events to end six days of medal attribution. The last day of competition was dedicated to the madison and the keirin competitions that were still to be raced.
The first European title this Tuesday went to the Netherlands. Despite the scare of a fall of one of the athletes, the dutch duo was very attentive not only to score in the sprints, but also in the movements of the rivals.
Germany tried to add another gold to their collection, but Justyna Czapla and Jette Simon were one point behind the dutch Babette van der Wolf and Nienke Veenhoven (23 points against 24 of the champions). In the final sprint of the junior race, the belgians Hélène Hesters and Febe Jooris secured bronze, with just one point separating them from the italian and french duo, who were left off the podium.
In the men’s event, the czechs were the winners, in a well-controlled race by the duo Milan Kadlec/Matyás Koblízek, which ended with 34 points. The Netherlands proved the good school they have in this discipline, with Elmar Abma and Justus Willemsen securing the silver medal, with 26 points, three more than the british Dylan Hicks and Joshua Tarling.
In the under-23 category, Italy proved its national team status with more European titles won in Anadia. In the women’s event, competition from Great Britain and Belgium was very strong, but the italian duo remained very focused and ended up completely controlling the last sprint, ensuring that no one took the gold from them.
Matilde Vitillo and Silvia Zanardi got 36 points, Eluned King and Sophie Lewis 31 and the belgians Shari Bossuyt and Katrijn de Clerq 28, being the three teams that took the podium.
The event that ended the European Championships at the Sangalhos National Velodrome was the under-23 men madison. The usual suspect teams fought for the medals, with Yanne Dorenbos and Philip Heijnen giving the Netherlands another European title, having been four in all in these championships. The dutch display was worth 54 points, against 37 from Great Britain, with William Tidball and Samuel Watson taking the silver medal. Closing the podium, the german duo: Malte Maschke and Tim Torn Teutenberg (26).
The keirin also had the spotlight under-23 champions. Germany’s Alessa-Catriona Pröpster won the woman’s race and Matteo Bianchi the men’s, ensuring that Italy won another gold medal.
The other medals went to the french Taky Marie Divine Kouame (silver) and the polish Paulina Petri (bronze) and also, among the men, to the italian Daniele Napolitano (silver) and the german Anton Höhne (bronze).
In terms of medals, Germany won the most: 29 in all, with Italy conquering 23. However, it was the italians who left the Sangalhos velodrome with the most titles: 16. The Germans got eight, being the second selection with the most golds.
