Lydia Boylan finished 5th in the Women’s Omnium at the European Championships in Glasgow yesterday. Strong performances in both the Tempo Race and the final Points Race contributed to her high overall placing in the four-race Olympic event in a highly competitive field.
Boylan scored highly in both the Tempo Race, where she finished second and the Points Race where she was sixth, resulting in a fifth place in the event which was won by World Champion Kirsten Wild (Netherlands). Katie Archibald (Great Britain) won silver and Letizia Paternoster (Italy) won bronze.
Speaking after her race Boylan said “I knew I had to go in aggressive – But fifth overall in this race, in this strong field, I really wasn’t expecting that. I always have confidence in the points race, I know I can ride hard and last a good 80 laps.”
The Dublin rider bridged across to a strong break, taking a lap – “I think quite a few people who are my nearest rivals missed out on that lap I took. My legs are there, and when I know my legs are there I ride a lot more confidently and I’m not afraid to go with the moves, and that’s kind of the key to success for me. Big up to my coaches David and James for getting me in the shape that I’m in.”
The Points Race is a tactical fast race that comes at the end of a long day of racing – “In the Points Race you just have to take your opportunities. You don’t lose a lot of energy diving down and going with the moves – if they work they work, if they don’t they don’t – you’re better to be in them than not in them. It worked out well today.”
Today Boylan switches her focus to the Madison where she competes with Lydia Gurley, who was fifth in the Points Race at these Championships. Before these championships they were in Majorca on an intense training camp – “Both of us have really bonded a lot better during the last camp and did a lot of Madison training together, and Lydia’s legs are obviously good too – it’s just really promising. We had a lot more of the Sports Institute team out with us, and it helps us get into a better frame of mind, and I think that really showed today.”
