World keirin champion Mina Sato 1 showed her class once again, leaving it late to launch her attack in the final of the women’s competition at the Kokura Keirin Festival.

But she timed it to perfection, passing her former Japanese national team colleague Riyu Ohta 3 a few metres before the finish.

Ohta held on for second, but Ballerup finalist Fuko Umekawa 5 was last across the line, having been boxed in as they entered the home straight.

Sato collected a cheque for 4,500,000 yen – roughly US$ 29,000. But more importantly, the win confirms her place as one of seven finalists in this year’s big-money Girls Grand Prix on December 29.

It vindicates her decision to opt out of the UCI’s Track Champions League, which gets underway this Saturday in Paris.