The German women celebrated a double success in the sprint tournament at the European Track Cycling Championships in Grenchen, Switzerland.
The seven-time world champion Lea Sophie Friedrich from Cottbus easily defeated her training colleague Pauline Grabosch in two runs in the final. For Grabosch, who eliminated world champion Mathilde Gros from France in the semi-finals, it was the first sprint medal since bronze at the 2018 World Championships. Defending champion Emma Hinze from Cottbus did not compete.
In the men’s 4000 meter individual pursuit, Tobias Buck-Gramcko from Göttingen won the small final in 4:09.796 minutes against Frenchman Corentin Ermenault (4:10.261) and took the bronze medal. Defending champion Nicolas Heinrich from Zwickau, who had to take a forced break in January due to a corona infection, took sixth place in 4:11.201 minutes.
After three out of five days of competition, the Federation of German Cyclists won seven medals (3-1-3). Friedrich, Hinze and Grabosch drove together to the gold medal in the team sprint on the first day of the European Championships, which is also the start of the Olympic qualification. Cologne’s Tim Torn Teutenberg secured the second title in the elimination round. The EM ends on Sunday, nine decisions are still open.