Canada's Kelsey Mitchell wins women's sprint gold at UCI Track Nations Cup in Milton, Ont.

Canada's Kelsey Mitchell won gold in the women's sprint finals on the second day of competition at the UCI Track Nations Cup on Saturday in Milton, Ont., collecting her second medal in as many days.

Mitchell secured a win in the first race of the final, holding a lead through the first two laps before kicking it into high gear to fend off a furious attempt by Bayona to pass on the final lap.

The roles were reversed in the second race, with the Colombian jumping ahead to start, then blocking multiple pass attempts by Mitchell on both the inside and outside to edge the Canadian at the finish line, setting up a winner-take-all third race.

The final race began with Mitchell carefully leading the way after the first lap, only for Bayona to surprise the reigning Olympic sprint champion by overtaking her on the second lap.

Mitchell calmly kept pace heading into the final lap, regaining the lead on the last turn to capture gold in front of the home crowd at the Mattamy National Cycling Centre.

WATCH | Mitchell claims gold in women's sprint:

Alberta's Kelsey Mitchell pedals to Nations Cup gold in women's sprint

2 years ago

Duration 4:34

Kelsey Mitchell of Sherwood Park, Alta., won gold in the women's sprint, at the UCI Track Cycling Nations Cup in Milton, Ont.

"I am so happy with my result, said Mitchell to Cycling Canada. "I know I'm not at my best so I had to race more tactically than normal. Normally, I just power through it and rely on my athletic abilities to win the races. But I really think I learned a lot and used the track properly. I want to take this momentum in the training block going forward and into Worlds to hopefully get more points for Olympic qualifying."

Mexico's Daniela Gaxiola defeated Nicky Degrendele of Belgium in the bronze-medal match.

WATCH | Golden on home soil:

Canada's Kelsey Mitchell wins women's sprint gold at UCI Track Nations Cup in Milton, Ont.

2 years ago

Duration 1:30

Olympic champion Kelsey Mitchell defeats Colombia’s Martha Bayona in the third and deciding race of the women’s sprint final, to win gold at the at the UCI Track Nations Cup in Milton, Ont.

Mitchell had a busy day in the lead-up to the final, dispatching China's Chen Feifei in the round of 16, Britain's Katy Marchant in the quarterfinals and Degrendele in the semifinals.

In the men's keirin final, Canada's James Hedgcock fell just short of a podium finish in fourth, with Australia's Matthew Richardson, Germany's Maximilian Dornbach and Trinidad and Tobago's Nicholas Paul claiming gold, silver and bronze, respectively.

The UCI Track Nations Cup action wraps up with the third and final day of competition on Sunday.

Watch live coverage on CBCSports.ca, the CBC Sports app and CBC Gem, starting Sunday at 3:55 p.m. ET.

WATCH | Canada finishes with silver in women's team sprint:

Canada settles for team sprint silver at Nations Cup

2 years ago

Duration 3:49

Lauriane Genest, Kelsey Mitchell and Sarah Orban lost to Mexico in the women's team sprint final, at the UCI Track Cycling Nations Cup in Milton, Ont.