Debutante Alessa-Catriona Pröpster started the new season of the Track Cycling Champions League with a victory in the sprint competition.
The 22-year-old from Jungingen/Baden-Württemberg won the final against reigning sprint world champion Emma Finucane from Great Britain at the Balears Velodrome in Palma de Mallorca. In the following Keirin competition, Pröpster took third place and thus took the overall lead before the second stop in Berlin.
“It’s totally unexpected. I just did my thing – but of course it couldn’t start any better,” said Pröpster after her sprint victory. The European team sprint champion was only included in the field because of a wildcard. The multiple world champions Emma Hinze, Lea Sophie Friedrich and Pauline Grabosch (all Cottbus) decided not to take part this year due to the European Championships coming up in January 2024.
Surgical shock for Theo Reinhardt
Things didn’t go so well for Theo Reinhardt from Berlin. After finishing 15th in the scratch, the two-time Madison World and European Champion was involved in a mass crash in the elimination race. “I have to have surgery on my chin,” said the 33-year-old. He also had to abandon the competition due to a broken wheel frame. In the overall ranking, Reinhardt is in 17th place out of 18 drivers.
The second round of the Champions League will take place next Saturday (October 28th) in the Berlin Velodrome. The third season ends after five days of racing on November 11th at the Olympic track in London.