Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling’s Laura Trott took a hard-fought Silver Medal in the Omnium at the World Track Championships in Minsk, Belarus, behind Sarah Hammer of the United States. Trott, the reigning World and Olympic champion, was defending the title that she took in Melbourne, Australia, in 2012, but began the second and final day of the competition in third place overall, with a five point deficit to the American.
As a five-time World champion, and the current World record holder in the discipline, it was no surprise that Hammer took first place in the Individual Pursuit, but Trott kept in touch with the American with third place. Third place in the Scratch Race for Trott, one place ahead of Hammer saw the Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling rider move up into second place overall, but still faced a six point deficit going into the final event.
To retain her rainbow jersey Trott needed to finish high up in the 500 metre Time Trial – one of her strongest events – but hope that the American suffered some kind of disaster in her own ride.
Unfortunately, while Trott finished the race in fourth place, she was just two places ahead of Hammer, and the American rider took the Gold. Trott’s ride was good enough to hold off the attentions of Australian Annette Edmondson, and the British rider took a well-earned Silver Medal to add to the Gold she took – with Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling teammates Dani King and Elinor Barker – in the Team Pursuit on Wednesday.
“I wanted to win them both again, but I tried my best and a better rider beat me on the day,” Trott said to British Cycling afterwards.
“I am really happy,” she added. “Silver medal at a world champs is still pretty good. I normally leave it to the 500 metres. I came here hoping I wouldn’t do that. The points race let me down again. She beat me by seven places in the points race and overall by four.”
