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Richo battles to third overall in latest World Series event; Andrews win women’s
A much more physical Matthew Richardson battled his way to an overall third-place finish at this weekend’s Keirin World Series event, taking place at Ito Onsen. The world’s fastest cyclist had clearly been struggling to adapt to the combative, collaborative nature of Japanese domestic keirin, with only one win in his six rides at Kokura…
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Guest women take another Keirin World Series one-two; neither man makes main final
Ellesse Andrews came out on top in Sunday’s women’s final at Aomori, ahead of Hetty van de Wouw, in a reversal of last weeks’ result at Kokura. It was the second successive one-two for the foreign female stars; of course, had Mathilde Gros not been disqualified in week one, it would have been three out…
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Foreign women rule World Series again, but another lesson for Richardson
Matthew Richardson admitted he is struggling to find his feet in Japan’s more combative keirin competition, recording another last place as the second Keirin World Series event concluded. Competing in the middle of Sunday’s race programme, following his last place on Saturday, Richardson seemed to be setting up for a big attack from the back…
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Follow Sunday’s Japanese and Korean keirin finals
It’s a big weekend for keirin racing in Japan and Korea. Sunday is finals day at the second Keirin World Series event, held in the fabulous indoor facility at Kokura, Japan. Ellesse Andrews and Hetty van de Wouw both go into the women’s final unbeaten in Japanese racing: can either of them keep their winning…
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Richardson hustled out of contention in Keirin World Series semi final
Matthew Richardson confronted the famously physical Japanese style of keirin racing in his semi-final at the second Keirin World Series event, taking place at Kokura – the city where keirin itself was born. Leading an attack from the rear, the British rider began making steady progress up the field in the back straight. He sat…
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Another clean sweep for foreign guests as second Keirin World Series event begins
The second event in the summer’s Keirin World Series opened today at the impressive indoor track in Kokura: and the international stars again showed their strength, taking four wins from four rides. Ellesse Andrews was first up, in the day’s sixth race: sitting second from the back as the bell began to ring, she powered…
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Lavreysen and Andrews overall winners as foreign riders return to Japanese keirin
International guest riders took the wins in the main men’s and women’s races as the first event in Japan’s Keirin World Series drew to a close in Hofu. Ellesse Andrews won the women’s race, with Harrie Lavreysen made to fight for the win in the men’s competition. But there was disappointment for Mathilde Gros, disqualified…
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Foreign stars face tougher tests in wet conditions on day two of Keirin World Series
After a gentle introduction to competitive Japanese keirin, the international guest riders faced much tougher challenges on day two of the Keirin World Series meeting at a wet Hofu. Ellesse Andrews rode with patience and confidence, letting Sakura Yamamoto lead out, and holding second position until the time was right. For a moment it looked…
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Clean sweep for foreign stars as Japan’s Keirin World Series begins
International riders have participated in Japanese domestic keirin for the first time since 2019 – and despite the unfamiliar rules, tracks and equipment, all four claimed comfortable victories. The three-day meeting at Hofu is the first in the so-called Keirin World Series of 10 events from June to September. Mathilde Gros – who rode in…
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Richardson’s round-the-world dash to race at Glasgow Games
Matthew Richardson may be the fastest man on a bicycle in history: but how quickly can he fly back from Japan to Scotland… and recover sufficiently to compete? That’s the challenge facing the English sprinter and his coaches, following confirmation that he will be part of the Team England squad at this summer’s Commonwealth Games.…
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Foreign riders will face veterans and future stars in first Japanese races
We now have a little more detail of what awaits the international stars invited to race in Japan this summer, in the Keirin World Series. Provisional start lists for the first two events in the series have been published – revealing, somewhat unexpectedly, that we will not see all six foreign guests at all the…
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International stars start at Japan’s keirin school
The elite track sprinters invited to compete in this summer’s Keirin World Series have arrived in Japan, and have already begun their education at the country’s celebrated keirin school. Pictures posted on social media in the last 24 hours show the riders in school classroom settings, and posing with some unusually old-school equipment. Joseph Truman…
