OLYMPIC gold medal cyclist Elinor Barker had mixed feelings about her performance at the Los Angeles World Cup just one month ahead of the UCI World Championships in Hong Kong.
The 22-year-old GB cyclist from Cardiff came fifth in the madison with teammate Ellie Dickinson and third in the scratch less than 15 minutes later at the Los Angeles World Cup on Sunday.
Barker, who had high hopes for the race, posted on Instagram:
Leaving LA with some mixed feelings about the racing but feeling very lucky that I’m getting to stay out in ?? for a couple more days. Flying to San Francisco today ✈️
Her team-mate Ellie Dickinson tweeted:
After a pretty disappointing madison result last night for me and @elinorbarker.We learn & move on, gave our best?? goodbye LA ✈️ onwards…
— Ellie (@EllieMae_333) February 27, 2017
A spokesperson for Barker told The Cardiffian: “Elinor’s next target will be at the Hong Kong UCI Track Cycling World Championships in April. Between now and then it is a hard block of training including a couple of weeks at a training camp in Majorca.”
Barker had hoped to win gold in LA with her partner Ellie Dickinson, after winning her first gold for an international bunch race in Alpendoorn in November 2016.
She told British Cycling: “I’m fairly happy with bronze. With it being so close to the madison there’s literally not 15 minutes between. I thought I was going to win it but a couple of riders sneaked in at the finish. I’m a little bit disappointed not to be further up the podium but I can’t really complain with bronze having just raced the madison before.”
Barker’s bronze was her second individual medal of the current World Cup season and the only medal awarded to Team GB on Sunday.
Great Britain Cycling Team head coach Iain Dyer appeared happy with the result.
“The success of this winter has put us in a strong position to now turn our attentions towards the UCI Track World Championships in April. With one or two international races lined up over the coming weeks to help us fine-tune preparations, we are confident that we’re going to be in a good position going into the championships,” he said.
