Katie Archibald made a triumphant return from serious leg injuries, leading Great Britain to victory in the women’s team pursuit at the Cycling World Championships in Ballerup, Denmark. This win marked a successful defense of their title.
The 30-year-old Scot had faced a challenging road to recovery after suffering a fractured tibia and fibula, dislocated ankle, and ligament damage in a freak accident at her home in June. Archibald, competing alongside teammates Josie Knight, Anna Morris, and Meg Barker—who stepped in for Jess Roberts—helped the team secure gold by overtaking Germany in the final.
“It is not just about words; it’s about feeling where you are meant to be,” Archibald told BBC Sport after the race. “What a treat it is to be part of this squad. It is very special.”
This victory added to Great Britain’s medal tally, following their gold in the women’s team sprint earlier in the week, featuring Olympic champions Sophie Capewell, Emma Finucane, and Katy Marchant. Meanwhile, the men’s team pursuit finished with a silver medal after a narrow defeat to Denmark. Ethan Hayter, Josh Charlton, Charlie Tanfield, and Ollie Wood had been leading but were overtaken in the final stages, much to the delight of the enthusiastic home crowd.
“We gave it everything in that final and just lost out a little bit at the finish,” Tanfield remarked. “But I think we maximized our potential, and that’s how it goes.”
In other events, Harry Ledingham-Horn finished fourth in the men’s keirin, and Noah Hobbs placed sixth in the scratch race, both making their world championship debuts. Sophie Lewis faced an early exit in the elimination race, finishing in 15th place overall.
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