The Italian Matteo Bianchi won his first major title at the age of 22 by dominating the kilometer event of the European Track Cycling Championships on Thursday in Apeldoorn.
“Since 2019, I have subscribed to second places in keirin or (individual) sprint. So here, I finally savor the gold,” he explained to AFP while the members of the Italian delegation burst into tears after the performance of the native of Bolzano in Trentino.
“It was far from being won against (the Dutchman) Daan Kool and the Frenchman Melvin Landerneau, two sacred opponents,” he continued after having sounded the Italian anthem for the second time of the evening after the success of the women’s pursuit team led by Elisa Balsamo, the 2021 road world champion.
The French Dovanan, dominated but “happy”, with a medal with the flavor of redemption after a year 2023 thwarted by a knee injury.
“I arrived here a little tired after a big workload. But I knew it and this medal is really a great reward,” he told AFP. The kilometer is not part of the Olympic events.
The men’s team pursuit gave rise to a formidable mano a mano between Danes and Britons, the victory narrowly going to the latter, very happy to have beaten the reigning world champions, at the same time putting themselves seriously candidates for the future Olympic title.
Germany dominated the Madison (American race), narrowly ahead of France.
The height of emotion was reached with the victory of the Frenchwoman Clara Copponi, crowned in scratch “after the worst year of (her) life”.
The Belgian Lotte Kopecky, road world champion and host of the Tour de France last summer, will begin her quest for medals on Friday, taking part in three events from Friday to Sunday (points, scratch, elimination)
