Canada's Mel Pemble retains women's C3 omnium title at Para cycling worlds
The Canadian Press | Posted: August 8, 2023 10:58 PM | Last Updated: August 8, 2023
Victoria cyclist takes top spot in cumulative event with silver in scratch race
Canadian cyclist Mel Pemble held on to her women's C3 omnium title at the UCI Cycling Championships in Glasgow, Scotland.
Pemble secured the championship after completing four events for a total of 154 points, capped off by silver in the women's C3 scratch race on Tuesday.
The Victoria cyclist previously won a bronze medal in the time trial event as well. The omnium is a cumulative event based on results from four races.
Pemble says she was thinking about the omnium title during other events but knew she had to race well to clinch the title.
She says although she wasn't able to retain her scratch race title, she's pleased with her silver medal that propelled her to first in the omnium standings.
Dutch cyclist Aniek van den Aarssen also compiled 154 points, but lost the tiebreaker to Pemble over her poorer scratch-race result. Ireland's Richael Timothy took bronze.
"I had a few girls to worry about in the scratch in terms of the placings for the Omnium," said Pemble. ''I'm just so glad it came to a sprint at the end, it was a fight. I'm so happy."
Pemble, who was born with cerebral palsy affecting her right side, said the scratch race was "super crazy."
"I'm looking at everyone making their moves, there were so many tactical things, there was so much going through my head. I needed to pick which battles to fight for," she said.
China's Xiaomei Wang won gold in the 10-kilometre event, while Timothy snagged bronze.
The world championships now move to Dumfries, Scotland for road races beginning on Wednesday.