Canadian track cyclist Dylan Bibic repeats as Champions League winner
Victoria's Sarah Van Dam slips to 4th from 2nd in women's endurance in London
Canadian cyclist Dylan Bibic successfully defended his men's endurance title, declared this year's winner on Wednesday after the final round of the UCI Track Champions League was cancelled Saturday following a crash in the women's keirin race.
At the time, Bibic's status remained unknown, with the Mississauga, Ont, athlete leading by 20 points, but the
limination race was among the disciplines cancelled after Alessa-Catriona Propster of Germany took herself and British rider Katy Marchant toward and over the barrier into the crowd a in London.
Marchant, who suffered a broken forearm and dislocated fingers, was taken to hospital for treatment.
On Dec. 6, Bibic won Friday's elimination race in England and led Tobias Aagaard Hansen of Denmark by 17 points, up from nine.
WATCH | Scary crash cancels track cycling event:
In each lap of an elimination race, the last rider must exit the competition as determined by the rear wheel. The final two athletes sprint for first place.
Scratch is the simplest of endurance races, with 18 riders battling over a set distance and the first across the line wins.
Bibic, 21, has impressed since winning scratch race gold in 2022 to become Canada's first world champion in a men's endurance event.
3 Nations Cup wins in 2024
In 2023, he won five Pan American Track Cycling medals and claimed silver in men's elimination at the world championships in Scotland.
of Norway.
Van Dam made a third appearance at the world championships last year and raced in three events with a best finish of seventh in elimination. She also debuted in road racing at the event, placing 46th.
In her 2021 worlds debut, Van Dam was part of Canada's entry in women's team pursuit that was fourth.
The following year, she collected six medals at the Pan Am championships, including gold in team pursuit.
Van Dam is transitioning to a balance of road and track racing. She has plans to train with a German-based team in 2025 while looking ahead to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
With files from The Associated Press