World champion Ellesse Andrews took a decisive victory in the women’s keirin as the UCI Track Nations Cup came to a close in Canada.

Andrews, the only New Zealander to have made the journey to Milton, needed a win in the repechage to proceed from the first round; and was third in her semi, behind Mathilde Gros and Steffie van der Peet.

Starting one from the back in a very strong final, Andrews imposed herself on the race early on, moving towards the front as the derny prepared to exit.

Van der Peet, starting in second, was alert to the move, jumping over Martha Bayona and forcing Andrews up high on her way to the front. Hetty van de Wouw followed the same path, taking the lead with two laps to go.

Andrews reclaimed the lead from van de Wouw as the bell rang. Bayona tried to follow, but couldn’t get in front of van der Peet, who stayed tight on Andrews’s wheel.

Andrews moved clear as they entered corner three, and never looked back, holding on for the win, with van der Peet in her wake. A very late charge for the line gave Canada’s Lauriane Genest the bronze, to the delight of the home crowd.

France’s Gros, last across the line in the final, nevertheless did enough to top the overall Nations Cup standings. She leapfrogged Emma Finucane, Mina Sato and Nicky Degrendele, the top three after the Hong Kong round, none of whom competed at Milton.

Two 6ths and a 7th were enough for the French rider to add the keirin title to the sprint overall she had claimed the previous day.