Canada’s Genest denied silver in women’s keirin at UCI Track Nations Cup after being relegated

Canada’s Lauriane Genest appeared to win silver in the women’s keirin final on the final day of the UCI Track Nations Cup on Sunday in Milton, Ont., but was relegated after review, placing fifth.

Germany’s Alessa-Catriona Pröpster won gold, with Colombia’s Martha Bayona and Britain’s Katy Marchant each being bumped up one spot to claim silver and bronze, respectively.

Mexico’s Daniela Gaxiola was also relegated, finishing sixth.

After being passed, Genest — the 2020 Olympic bronze medallist in the keirin — was not in an ideal position, being boxed in by multiple riders and dropping as low as fourth on the final two laps, but the Canadian appeared to muster just enough to edge Bayona for second place.

Shortly after the race, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) made the decision to relegate Genest “for not having held their line during the last 200 [metres] of the race.” The Canadian rider veered too far to the outside on the final turn before regaining form. Cycling Canada appealed the ruling, which was upheld.

Gaxiola’s relegation ruling was for “moving down towards the inside of the track and forcing another competitor off the track.”

Genest, a 24-year-old from Lévis, Que., had entered the final in top form, finishing first in both her first- and second-round heats.

One day after winning gold over Bayona in the women’s sprint, Kelsey Mitchell of Sherwood Park, Alta., finished her weekend on a high note by winning the keirin consolation final to take seventh place.

The 29-year-old fell one spot short of qualifying for the final after finishing fourth in her second-round heat, just behind Marchant.

A pair of Canadians finished in the top 10 of the women’s omnium to close out the competition, as Maggie Coles-Lyster finished seventh with 80 points, and Sarah Van Dam took 10th with 69.

Britain’s Katie Archibald dominated the four-race competition, winning three and topping the standings with 131 points. Italy’s Elisa Balsamo won silver while American Jennifer Valente secured bronze.

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The Canadian pair of Dylan Bibic and Michael Foley finished the men’s 200-lap Madison race in 12th, 57 points back of winner Portugal.

The top Canadian finisher in the men’s sprint event was Bothwell, Ont., native Nick Wammes, who bowed out in the quarterfinals against Malaysia’s Muhammad Shah Firdaus Sahrom.

The Malaysian rider fell to Australia’s Matthew Richardson in the bronze-medal match, while Nicholas Paul of Trinidad and Tobago edged Poland’s Mateusz Rudyk for gold in the final.

Canada finished with three medals across the three-day event at the Mattamy National Cycling Centre.

Mitchell won gold in the women’s sprint on Saturday, and teamed up with Genest and Sarah Orban for silver in the women’s team sprint on Friday. Van Dam, Coles-Lyster, Ariane Bonhomme and Erin Attwell combined for bronze in women’s team pursuit on Friday.

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Lauriane Genest, Kelsey Mitchell and Sarah Orban lost to Mexico in the women’s team sprint final, at the UCI Track Cycling Nations Cup in Milton, Ont.