‘Completely crazy’ as Harrie Lavreysen wins record 15th world cycling title

BALLERUP – Dutch cyclist Harrie Lavreysen on Oct 18 won the men’s 1km time trial for a record 15th world championship track title.

Two days after claiming the team sprint gold, the five-gold Olympic champion took the men’s time trial ahead of compatriot and three-time defending champion Jeffrey Hoogland. Britain’s Joseph Truman won bronze.

Lavreysen overtakes France’s Arnaud Tournant’s 14 world titles from 1997 to 2008.

“Fifteen titles, I don’t even know what to say. There are so many prestigious names on this list, it’s completely crazy,” he told AFP.

“It was hard because it’s the first time I’ve raced the kilometre at this level, but I managed it.

“It’s special.”

The 27-year-old could add to his tally on Oct 20 in the individual sprint event, where he is the five-time reigning champion.

Lavreysen failed to win a medal in the keirin event on Oct 17. He had said after that race: “I made a tactical error in the semi-finals. I waited too long and kept hanging at the upper level. Just plain super stupid.”

His rivals, however, have a different opinion.

“He potentially still has five or six years left at the top. He could come close to 30 world titles,” said French cyclist Sebastien Vigier during the Paris Olympics, where the Dutchman won three golds – in the sprints (individual and team) as well as the keirin.

That triple success saw him dubbed “Hat-trick Harrie”.

“What’s more, he is really cool and calm. He does not have a big head,” added Vigier, who saluted his rival as “a good party animal after competition”.

Italy’s Jonathan Milan took the men’s individual pursuit title in a world record.

The 24-year-old Italian, also an accomplished road racer, dominated young British rider Josh Charlton, who himself had improved on the world mark, previously held by Filippo Ganna, in qualifying.

Milan won in 3min 59.153sec to better Charlton’s afternoon effort of 3:59.304 over the 4,000m course.

“I could not have done anything more,” Charlton told BBC Sport. “I’m not that disappointed if I am honest, it was really good. He just backed it up a bit better.”

In other events on Oct 18, Spain’s Sebastian Mora won the men’s points race, ahead of Niklas Larsen of Denmark and Dutchman Philip Heijnen.

In the women’s events, defending champion Emma Finucane shone in the individual sprint to claim her second gold of the championships.

The 21-year-old finished ahead of Hetty van de Wouw of the Netherlands, while Japan’s Mina Sato was third.

“It’s really hard trying to defend a title and deal with pressure and expectation, but I am really proud of the person I have become doing that,” Finucane told the BBC.

In the omnium, Ally Wollaston became the first cyclist from New Zealand to win two golds at a single world championships, finishing ahead of Britain’s Jessica Roberts and Anita Stenberg of Norway respectively. AFP