Mark Downey dominated to win gold in the men’s points race in the third round of the UCI Track Cycling World Cup in the Alcides Nieto Patino Velodrome in Cali, Colombia.
The Dromore man is now leading the World Cup ranking in this event, adding this medal to the gold won in Apeldoorn last November.
Lydia Boylan was also in action in the Women’s Omnium, finishing sixth overall after a blistering start which saw her win the first event, the scratch race.
Twenty-year-old Downey is no stranger to the podium in this event, having won silver in the European Championships in the points race as both a junior and Under-23 rider.
Since joining the elite team he has stormed to the lead in the world cup rankings having won back-to-back world cup gold medals.
He demonstrated his physical and mental strength in Cali by taking three sprint points in the 120 lap race, and lapping the field.
“It was my first time racing at altitude so I needed to be careful; my pre-race tactic was to chill for 30-40 laps and then to come to the front and turn the gas on,” said the County Down man.
“I made three key moves in the race – I got away with five riders and took 5 points in the sprint, then the big guys got away shortly after that and I used the rest of the bunch to bring them back.
“As soon as I got to their back wheel I went, and went hard. It was around 70 laps to go, I picked up two sprints on the way and it took me 23 laps to take the lap – so it was long! The crowd was ecstatic.”
After this effort there was no let up for Downey, with attacks coming from the bunch.
“After that I sat back and got my breath back and waited for the final 25 laps of hell. In the last 17 laps a big group got away, with the second, third and fourth placed riders in it – so I literally did an IP (individual pursuit) against seven riders – it was an unbelievable way to hurt everyone and then just have the legs.”
Dublin-born Boylan also acquitted herself well, competing in the newly structured women’s omnium, which consists of four events raced in one day.
At the halfway mark Boylan was lying second, ahead of top riders like Olympic silver medallist Sarah Hammer.
“Today was all about getting experience in the omnium, and guaranteeing world’s qualification,” she said.
In action today are Eoin Mullen in the men’s keirin and Lydia Gurley in the women’s 10km scratch race. Competition started on Friday and continues until Sunday.
