Harrie Lavreysen has won his second gold medal at the European track cycling championships in Apeldoorn. In the sprint, the event in which he is Olympic and five-time world champion, the 26-year-old cyclist from Luyksgestel won the European title for the third time.
Lavreysen defeated the Pole Mateusz Rudyk in two heats in the final. It was a repeat of last year’s final. In the semi-finals, Lavreysen had already eliminated his fellow countryman Jeffrey Hoogland.
Lavreysen has already won a lot in his life as a track sprinter. This third European sprint title was certainly not the most important, but he was impressed by the atmosphere in the Omnisport. “Unbelievable. I have been through a lot, but this was really enjoyable,” he said after his victory.
“I didn’t expect to be this good already and I’m looking forward to this year.”
He called his sprints ‘textbook’, both in the semi-finals against fellow countryman Jeffrey Hoogland and in the battle for gold. “They were very nice rides, super tight. And that semi-final was certainly not a piece of cake. We know each other so well. Afterwards I was already ready for the final.”
According to Lavreysen, in the final Rudyk tried something with which Australian Matthew Richardson defeated him once last year. “But luckily you quickly recognize those scenarios and then you know what to do. I didn’t expect to be this good already and I’m looking forward to this year. I know how we worked towards this and we can do even better.”
Hoogland failed to win the bronze on Saturday. He was trumped in two heats by the Israeli Mikhail Yakovlev.
Lavreysen and Hoogland, together with Roy van den Berg, had already won gold in the team sprint on the opening day. The keirin section will follow on Sunday, in which Lavreysen is also the defending champion.
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Lavreysen takes third Dutch title during National Track Cycling Championships
Harrie Lavreysen takes care of Hoogland and takes NK gold in the sprint