GB women take team sprint silver as men exit after Richardson removal
Great Britain's women won silver in the team sprint at the World Track Cycling Championships in Shanghai. The men's team went out in the first round hours after losing sprinter Matt Richardson from the squad.
The women's trio of Emma Finucane, Sophie Capewell and Rhianna Parris-Smith were fastest in qualifying. They beat France to reach the gold-medal ride, then lost to hosts China. China were faster when it mattered.
The team sprint is a short, full-gas relay. Three riders start together and peel off one by one over three laps. Qualifying sets the seedings, then teams race head to head.
Britain's men qualified fifth with Joe Truman, Ed Lowe and Harry Ledingham-Horn. That paired them with fourth-placed Australia in the opening round. Australia won the heat, ending Britain's interest in the event, BBC.
Truman had stepped in after Richardson was removed from the squad on Monday. British Cycling said the removal followed an internal investigation into serious allegations of misconduct, Cyclingnews.
Richardson said he would co-operate with the investigation. He had been expected to challenge for medals in the individual sprint and the keirin — a motor-paced sprint race. His withdrawal followed reports in The Times of London that he is under investigation, according to The Athletic.
Truman said the late change was "not ideal" and left the team starting "on the back foot". Richardson was also absent from training in Shanghai on Monday, when Truman took his place in practice.
There was better news elsewhere for Britain. The women's team pursuit squad went fastest in qualifying. The men's pursuit team went second fastest. Both progress in that event, a four-rider race over 4,000 metres where the time is taken on the third rider across the line.
In the women's scratch race — a straight bunch race where the first across the line wins — Abigail Miller finished 17th of 24 riders.
For fans, this leaves a split picture. A silver for Finucane, Capewell and Parris-Smith is a strong start to the championships. The men's sprinters must now reset without Richardson, with the pursuit teams still well placed to fight for gold.
