The strength-in-depth of the Great Britain women’s sprint programme was on show in Gent this weekend, at the prestigious Belgian Track International.

No fewer than four GB riders lined up for Sunday’s final of the women’s keirin, with Emma Finucane coming out on top ahead of Lea Sophie Friedrich and Lauren Bell, with further British riders fourth and fifth. It had been a similar story the day before, with Finucane winning the match sprint, and three British women in the top four.

The GB men’s team was missing star names like Matthew Richardson, who went instead to London’s Good Friday event, and destroyed a largely domestic field.

But after a successful sprint competition, won by Hamish Turnbull with Lyall Craig fourth, the GB squad failed to place anyone in Sunday’s men’s keirin final, although Turnbull took the consolation prize of a win in the minor final.

Instead it was a victory for home rider Lowie Nulens: with three Czech riders drawn immediately behind the pacer, the 19 year old Belgian took matters into his own hands, beginning his move to the front well before the derny had left the track, and holding on for the win.

Nulens, a former BMXer with barely a year’s track experience under his belt, had a remarkable day, finishing first in every race – including his quarter-final, where he was relegated (we assume) for forcing his way between two riders with half a lap remaining.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, there was success at the Hong Kong International Track Cup for new flying 200 world record holder Yuan Liying in the weekend’s two women’s keirin competitions, with Yana Burlakova second and Haruka Nakazawa third both days.

On the men’s side, Minato Nakaishi won Saturday’s keirin event ahead of Nikita Kiriltsev and Cheuk Hei To. There will be a second men’s competition on Monday.