Roubaix (dpa) – Led by Queen Roubaix Leah Sophie Friedrich and two other gold medalists Emma Haines and Lisa Brennor, the German cycling team ran a furious World Cup and improved the previous year’s stellar record from Berlin.

Friedrich also won the gold medal in Keren on the day of the final and is the most successful athlete in competitions in northern France with three golds and one silver. Heinz and Brenauer also contributed greatly to the German Cycling Union’s (BDR) team’s strong record, each with two golds, and even made the poor Olympic record from Tokyo forgotten for a few days.

‘The mood is awesome’

Said Friedrich, who was next to her three titles also took the silver in the sprint and lost only her friend Heinz there. The superior victory in Kirin on Sunday showed that the entire class of the 21-year-old had been sick in bed for a week before the World Cup.

“It feels really great and it’s a little unbelievable,” said the 24-year-old Haines, who complained of the huge pressure after Tokyo and now freed herself in northern France with a superb athletic performance. In total, the Germans won six gold and eleven medals – a solid record.

Excellence in the women’s sprint

In the women’s race, Team Germany consolidated the supremacy from Berlin by winning four titles in four disciplines. Even if there were no strong opponents from China, Australia and New Zealand, the balance was very positive. Haines managed to draw a line under Olympia’s leadership. “I still had a few bills that I wanted to settle,” she said. Haines, who did not defend the Keren title on the final day, summed up the World Cup, marked by emotions, tears and medals, “definitely a success.”

This also applies to Brennauer, who followed the next title reversal in the four in the team’s pursuit of gold in the individual quest. “This was really the best,” said the 33-year-old from Allgäu. “I’ve had a bit of a blackout over the last few laps.” Her 2021 year was remarkable: in addition to her four-man titles at the Olympics, the World Championships and the European Championships, she won individual gold at the World Championships and European Championships, and was also a timely world champion with a mixed street experience. Brenor commented, “So much has happened this year that I never expected. And now it’s such a degree: simply amazing.”

The quad, unbeatable this year, showed again on Saturday that it consists of several very strong athletes. Franziska Brauße won the silver and only had to admit defeat to Brennauer in the German final, a triple victory completed by Mieke Kröger. The trio was an integral part of the Golden Quartet, which had to lay off Lisa Klein due to the injury to Roubaix. A country’s gold, silver, and bronze medals were as historic as the day before the German sprint final Heinz against Friedrich.

Men with decent results

The men couldn’t keep up with the women’s gold flood, but they did well. Joachim Eilers won a bronze in the 1000m, and was also part of the quartet that won bronze in the team sprint. “We’ve done a lot of work,” said Eilers. “My level has improved from time to time, and we want to build on that. That motivates me to win a medal again.” Stefan Boettcher just missed his third bronze in the sprint race on Sunday – in both the semi-finals and in the small final he was defeated after three rounds.

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 211023-99-710972 / 3