Elinor Barker Last Woman Riding In Plovdiv As She Strikes Elimination Gold

Elinor Barker struck elimination gold at the UEC European Track Championships in Bulgaria – and added another without even taking to the track.

Wales’ Olympic and world champ won the race in Plovdiv with a controlled display of power.

The victory took Barker’s gold medal haul at the Europeans since her debut in 2013 to seven. She also has two silvers.

And she added an eighth minutes later in the team pursuit even though she did not take to the track for the final having ridden in the qualifying round.

“The race went how I hoped it would,” said Barker. “I expected it might be the Italian girl at the end.

“That went how I hoped it would. I told my room-mate Laura Kenny earlier in the day how I’d ride it and it went to plan.

Elinor Barker after winning elimination gold. Pic: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com –

“It’s very intensive. I wanted to go to the front at the star and nobody seemed to want to take that away from me.

“With about six riders left I went to the back and looked to come around (the riders) instead

Barker was left to face Rachele Barbieri in the elimination race – where one rider is dropped at the end of each sprint lap – and easily powered away from the Italian.

Such was Britain’s dominance, Barker was not needed for the team pursuit later.

Instead GB team-mates Josie Knight, Neah Evans, Katie Archibald and Kenny easily saw off Italy to win in 4:10.437.

But Barker also took the podium again for an eighth European gold medal having ridden in the previous two rounds of the event.

The 26-year-old will join forces with fellow Olympic champ Kenny looking for gold in the madison on Saturday.