# McCaig clings on to win women’s keirin in Perth

*By Simon | March 8, 2026*

---

![UCI Track World Cup: Perth](https://globalkeirin.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/AW5_4689.jpg)

## 󠀁[McCaig clings on to win women’s keirin in Perth](https://globalkeirin.com/2026/03/mccaig-clings-on-to-win-womens-keirin-in-perth/)󠁿

8 March 2026

Australia’s [Alessia McCaig](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/alessia-mccaig/)
gave the Perth Track World Cup crowd what it wanted, making a heroic early
attack in the women’s keirin final – and hanging on, just, to take gold.

Big gaps were already starting to open up before the motorbike, driven by keirin
legend Shane Perkins, left the track.

McCaig glanced over her shoulder with two and a half laps remaining, realised
that European champion
[Alina Lysenko](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/alina-lysenko/) was a full six
bike lengths behind – and decided this was her chance.

Lysenko still hadn’t made up any ground as they entered the last lap – McCaig’s
pace was visibly dropping as the effort took its toll, but so was Lysenko’s. And
as they entered the home straight, the remaining riders finally appeared in the
frame, with [Yuan Liying](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/yuan-liying/) leading
the charge up the outside.

![mccaig](https://globalkeirin.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/mccaig.jpg)

_TissotTiming.com_

Could McCaig hang on? Lysenko was on her hip now. And as the pair reached for
the line, with the crowd roaring its appreciation, it was the Australian rider
who prevailed, by the width of her deep section wheel’s rim.

### 󠀁[UCI](https://globalkeirin.com/event/4162d0bb/)󠁿 > 󠀁[Track World Cup](https://globalkeirin.com/event/4162d0bb/c93e79c7/)󠁿 > 󠀁[2026](https://globalkeirin.com/event/4162d0bb/c93e79c7/bf1509f7/)󠁿 > 󠀁[Round 1](https://globalkeirin.com/event/4162d0bb/c93e79c7/bf1509f7/ac7b5643/)󠁿⏎ Final

<table>
        <tr><th colspan="4">Details</th></tr>
        <tr>
            <td colspan="2">Velodrome</td>
            <td colspan="2"><a href="https://globalkeirin.com/velodrome/perth/">Perth</a></td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td colspan="2">Date</td>
            <td colspan="2">08 Mar 2026</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <th colspan="4">UCI Track World Cup 2026 Round 1 : Final</th>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <th colspan="4">Result</th>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <th>Pos</th><th>Nat</th>
            <th>Rider</th>
            <th></th>
        </tr>
        <tr>
                <td><span>1</span></td>
                <td>AUS</td>
                <td><a href="https://globalkeirin.com/rider/alessia-mccaig/">Alessia McCaig</a></td>
                <td></td>
            </tr><tr>
                <td><span>2</span></td>
                <td>AIN</td>
                <td><a href="https://globalkeirin.com/rider/alina-lysenko/">Alina Lysenko</a></td>
                <td></td>
            </tr><tr>
                <td><span>3</span></td>
                <td>CHN</td>
                <td><a href="https://globalkeirin.com/rider/yuan-liying/">Yuan Liying</a></td>
                <td></td>
            </tr><tr>
                <td><span>4</span></td>
                <td>CHN</td>
                <td><a href="https://globalkeirin.com/rider/wang-lijuan/">Wang Lijuan</a></td>
                <td></td>
            </tr><tr>
                <td><span>5</span></td>
                <td>AIN</td>
                <td><a href="https://globalkeirin.com/rider/ekaterina-evlanova/">Ekaterina Evlanova</a></td>
                <td></td>
            </tr><tr>
                <td><span>6</span></td>
                <td>CZE</td>
                <td><a href="https://globalkeirin.com/rider/veronika-jabornikova/">Veronika Jaborníková</a></td>
                <td></td>
            </tr></table>

It wasn’t the final anyone would have expected, with
[Mina Sato](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/mina-sato/),
[Ellesse Andrews](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/ellesse-andrews/) and
[Lea Sophie Friedrich](https://globalkeirin.com/rider/lea-sophie-friedrich/) all
absent.

World champion Sato was drawn last in line in her semi final, and was in no
hurry to move forwards, even as big gaps began to open up ahead. McCaig, in
fifth, decided enough was enough: Sato went to follow her, but Wang had the same
idea, forcing Sato up the track to ride extra distance.

The gaps were gone as they entered the last lap, with Evlanova in front, McCaig
on her hip, and Wang just behind. Sato was forced up above the blue line once
again, and with King trying her luck up the inside, the world number one knew
she had lost her chance of a top three finish.

‘Hearing everyone at the venue call my name and cheer for me made me really
happy,’ Sato wrote afterwards
[on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/DVpN1pTD5bC/). ‘That’s exactly why
the frustration feels even bigger than usual. I’ll use this feeling as
motivation and make sure to come back with results next time.’

### 󠀁[UCI](https://globalkeirin.com/event/4162d0bb/)󠁿 > 󠀁[Track World Cup](https://globalkeirin.com/event/4162d0bb/c93e79c7/)󠁿 > 󠀁[2026](https://globalkeirin.com/event/4162d0bb/c93e79c7/bf1509f7/)󠁿 > 󠀁[Round 1](https://globalkeirin.com/event/4162d0bb/c93e79c7/bf1509f7/ac7b5643/)󠁿⏎ Semi final 1

<table>
        <tr><th colspan="4">Details</th></tr>
        <tr>
            <td colspan="2">Velodrome</td>
            <td colspan="2"><a href="https://globalkeirin.com/velodrome/perth/">Perth</a></td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td colspan="2">Date</td>
            <td colspan="2">08 Mar 2026</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <th colspan="4">UCI Track World Cup 2026 Round 1 : Semi final 1</th>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <th colspan="4">Result</th>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <th>Pos</th><th>Nat</th>
            <th>Rider</th>
            <th></th>
        </tr>
        <tr>
                <td><span>1</span></td>
                <td>AUS</td>
                <td><a href="https://globalkeirin.com/rider/alessia-mccaig/">Alessia McCaig</a></td>
                <td><span>Q</span></td>
            </tr><tr>
                <td><span>2</span></td>
                <td>CHN</td>
                <td><a href="https://globalkeirin.com/rider/wang-lijuan/">Wang Lijuan</a></td>
                <td><span>Q</span></td>
            </tr><tr>
                <td><span>3</span></td>
                <td>AIN</td>
                <td><a href="https://globalkeirin.com/rider/ekaterina-evlanova/">Ekaterina Evlanova</a></td>
                <td><span>Q</span></td>
            </tr><tr>
                <td><span>4</span></td>
                <td>NZL</td>
                <td><a href="https://globalkeirin.com/rider/olivia-king/">Olivia King</a></td>
                <td></td>
            </tr><tr>
                <td><span>5</span></td>
                <td>JPN</td>
                <td><a href="https://globalkeirin.com/rider/mina-sato/">Mina Sato</a></td>
                <td></td>
            </tr><tr>
                <td><span>6</span></td>
                <td>BEL</td>
                <td><a href="https://globalkeirin.com/rider/zita-gheysens/">Zita Gheysens</a></td>
                <td></td>
            </tr></table>

In the second semi, Olympic champion Ellesse Andrews had been placed directly
behind the pacer, but seemed to be caught napping as Lysenko led a big move from
behind with two laps left. Friedrich looked to be riding a good race, following
Yuan towards the front, and containing Lysenko and Jabornikova on the inside.

But she faded as they entered the back straight, and with Andrews banking on
following the German to the final, the trio in the sprinters lane rolled across
the line unchallenged.

### 󠀁[UCI](https://globalkeirin.com/event/4162d0bb/)󠁿 > 󠀁[Track World Cup](https://globalkeirin.com/event/4162d0bb/c93e79c7/)󠁿 > 󠀁[2026](https://globalkeirin.com/event/4162d0bb/c93e79c7/bf1509f7/)󠁿 > 󠀁[Round 1](https://globalkeirin.com/event/4162d0bb/c93e79c7/bf1509f7/ac7b5643/)󠁿⏎ Semi final 2

<table>
        <tr><th colspan="4">Details</th></tr>
        <tr>
            <td colspan="2">Velodrome</td>
            <td colspan="2"><a href="https://globalkeirin.com/velodrome/perth/">Perth</a></td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td colspan="2">Date</td>
            <td colspan="2">08 Mar 2026</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <th colspan="4">UCI Track World Cup 2026 Round 1 : Semi final 2</th>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <th colspan="4">Result</th>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <th>Pos</th><th>Nat</th>
            <th>Rider</th>
            <th></th>
        </tr>
        <tr>
                <td><span>1</span></td>
                <td>CHN</td>
                <td><a href="https://globalkeirin.com/rider/yuan-liying/">Yuan Liying</a></td>
                <td><span>Q</span></td>
            </tr><tr>
                <td><span>2</span></td>
                <td>AIN</td>
                <td><a href="https://globalkeirin.com/rider/alina-lysenko/">Alina Lysenko</a></td>
                <td><span>Q</span></td>
            </tr><tr>
                <td><span>3</span></td>
                <td>CZE</td>
                <td><a href="https://globalkeirin.com/rider/veronika-jabornikova/">Veronika Jaborníková</a></td>
                <td><span>Q</span></td>
            </tr><tr>
                <td><span>4</span></td>
                <td>BEL</td>
                <td><a href="https://globalkeirin.com/rider/nicky-degrendele/">Nicky Degrendele</a></td>
                <td></td>
            </tr><tr>
                <td><span>5</span></td>
                <td>NZL</td>
                <td><a href="https://globalkeirin.com/rider/ellesse-andrews/">Ellesse Andrews</a></td>
                <td></td>
            </tr><tr>
                <td><span>6</span></td>
                <td>GER</td>
                <td><a href="https://globalkeirin.com/rider/lea-sophie-friedrich/">Lea Sophie Friedrich</a></td>
                <td></td>
            </tr></table>

- _The next round of the UCI Track World Cup will take place in Hong Kong, China from 17-19 April. According to the provisional schedule: men’s keirin is on Saturday 18 April, women’s on Sunday 19 April._

**Categories:** Original
**Tags:** uci, ucitwc