While the French quartet engaged in the team pursuit qualified for the final, the French team won their first medal in the Worlds organized in Roubaix. In the men’s team speed, Florian Grengbo, Sébastien Vigier and Rayan Helal lost in the final against the Netherlands and won silver.
After the bronze won at the Tokyo Olympics, the trio composed of Florian Grengbo, Sébastien Vigier and Rayan Helal did better. In the Jean-Stablinski velodrome in Roubaix, the French men’s team speed team won the first French medal. After signing the second fastest time in qualifying behind the Netherlands, the Blues took the best of Canada to validate their ticket for a long-awaited final against Olympic champions Roy van den Berg, Harrie Lavreysen and Jeffrey Hoogland. But the Dutch were completely untouchable on these three laps. Victorious in 41”979, the trio from the Netherlands put almost six tenths to the Blues (42”550) who must be content with the silver medal on their land. A first medal for the France team which will not be the only one. Indeed, Thomas Boudat, Thomas Denis, Valentin Tabellion and Benjamin Thomas advanced to the team pursuit final at the expense of Denmark with a new French record (3’46”760). But, for the title this Thursday, they will face the Italian ogre led by Filippo Ganna, who did not force his talent to dominate Great Britain.
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Faced with the Dutch favorites, the French speed team won a beautiful silver medal and opened the counter of the French delegation ????????.#Roubaix2021 #JeRouleAvecSKF pic.twitter.com/ZrqJl4Ss9j
— FFC (@FFCyclisme) October 20, 2021
Germany untouchable in women’s team speed
Italy has already heard its national anthem ring out in the Roubaix velodrome. Indeed, the first title awarded in these world championships went to Martina Fidanza during the scratch. In a waiting race, the Transalpine tried its luck at the start of the last five laps and could not be seen by a peloton which never reacted. Far behind the Italian, the Dutch Maike van der Duin went for the silver medal in front of the American Jennifer Valente. Victoire Berteau, for her part, took a good sixth place in the final sprint. While the Netherlands dominated the men’s team speed with a head and shoulders, the Germans did the same in the women’s event, which was contested for the first time at the three-man world championships. On this occasion, Lea Friedrich, Pauline Grabosch and Emma Hinze broke the world record three times, going from 46”511 to 46”064 in three races. For the gold medal, the Germans got the better of Russia when the podium was completed by Great Britain, who dominated Japan in the small final.
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