Day one of the men’s keirin competition ended in subdued circumstances, with the re-running of the final repechage heat after a nasty crash involving Trinidad and Toboago’s Kwesi Browne.
Going into the final lap, Browne found himself sandwiched between Ortega and Chugay. His front wheel touched Ortega’s rear wheel, sending Browne to the floor, and causing the race to be immediately halted. A re-run took place after the women’s sprint races, won by James Hedgcock.
The commissaires ended the hopes of Malaysian favourite Azizulhasni Awang, disqualified for passing the derny; and indeed the French crowd, following the relegation of the competition’s final Frenchman, Rayan Helal.
First round
Heat 1
Through: Glaetzer 🇦🇺, Hoogland 🇳🇱
Repechages: Ota 🇯🇵, Tjon En Fa 🇸🇷, Helal 🇫🇷
Out: Awang 🇲🇾 (DSQ)
Helal delights the crowd with an early attack, but Hoogland and Glaetzer lead the bunch over the top. Ota tries to slip between them at the finish but the line comes too soon.
Heat 2
Through: Lavreysen 🇳🇱, Carlin 🇬🇧
Repechages: Vigier 🇫🇷, Zhou 🇨🇳, Chugay 🇰🇿, Doernbach 🇩🇪
Carlin and Doernbach jostle initially for the lead. The crowd ooohs as Carlin’s twitch forces Vigier and Lavreysen up the track. But it only briefly detains the Dutchman, a clear winner ahead of the British rider.
Heat 3
Through: Richardson 🇦🇺, Nakano 🇯🇵
Repechages: Liu 🇨🇳, Turnbull 🇬🇧, Hedgcock 🇨🇦, Spies 🇿🇦
Richardson follows Nakano to the front with two laps to go, then passes him in the final bend to take the win.
Heat 4
Through: Yakovlev 🇮🇱, Quintero 🇨🇴
Repechages: Browne 🇹🇹, Angsuthasawit 🇹🇭, Wammes 🇨🇦, Spiegel 🇩🇪
Yakovlev starts at the back, but powers to the front at the first opportunity, and opens up a gap ahead of Quintero. Nobody gets close to the Israeli, and the Colombian leads the pack in.
Heat 5
Through: Paul 🇹🇹, Rudyk 🇵🇱
Repechages: Ortega 🇨🇴, Dakin 🇳🇿, Lendel 🇱🇹, Sahrom 🇲🇾 (REL)
Ortega claims the front, but sees Paul and Rudyk come past him as the bell begins to ring. Sahrom slots in front of the Colombian, and makes his way up the inside as Paul drifts – but he is relegated for riding on the cote d’azur infield band.
Repechages
Heat 1
Through: Ota 🇯🇵, Dakin 🇳🇿
Out: Doernbach 🇩🇪, Spies 🇿🇦, Angsuthasawit 🇹🇭
Dakin tries to get away, but Ota responds from third to take the lead, with Doernback slotting in behind. Dakin is boxed but forces his way up the inside to claim second behind the Japanese rider.
Heat 2
Through: Turnbull 🇬🇧, Spiegel 🇩🇪
Out: Zhou 🇨🇳 (REL), Vigier 🇫🇷, Lendel 🇱🇹
They are stacked five-high on the back straight of the final lap! – but Zhou is clearly on the cote d’azur. Turnbull comes down from the top, Spiegel comes through the middle. Zhou is first across the line, but it’s an easy decision for the commissaires.
Heat 3
Through: Sahrom 🇲🇾, Wammes 🇨🇦
Out: Helal 🇫🇷 (REL), Liu 🇨🇳, Tjon En Fa 🇸🇷
Helal, Sahrom and Wammes cross the line together. Helal looks to have done enough to qualify, to the relief of the home crowd – but a few minutes later comes the news of his relegation.
Heat 4
Through: Hedgcock 🇨🇦, Ortega 🇨🇴
Out: Chugay 🇰🇿, Browne 🇹🇹 (DNF)
After a nasty crash for Browne, the re-run becomes a three-up, with two going through. Hedgcock comes through on the inside to claim the lead at the bell, and Ortega comes over the top of Chugay for second.
