Tokyo 2020 was the third time the women’s keirin has been raced at the Olympics Games.
Shanne Braspennincx of the Netherlands scored the gold medal in the mass-start track event, and was joined on the podium by Ellesse Andrews of New Zealand and Laurine Genest of Canada who finished in second and third respectively.
Along the way, exciting racing happened in every matchup.
Here’s a look at the track event that features an e-bike to pace riders in the early laps of each round.
Lauriane Genest of Canada talked with a coach before her final race.
The riders followed a derney for the first three laps. Until recently, the derney used was usually a motorbike, then an electric motorcycle, and now it is an E-bike.
Maddie Godby was in first position behind the derney in her qualifying heat.
Early casualties of crossed wheels in the qualifying round: the Netherlands Laurine van Riessen and Katy Marchant went down hard. Marchant was able to get up and finish, but van Riessen was taken to a hospital.
Canada’s Kelsey Mitchell lead Godby of Team USA across the finish line with one lap to go in the keirin quarterfinals.
Maddie Godby and France’s Mathilde Gros side-by-side heading into the final turn.
Kelsey Mitchell of Canada and eventual winner Shanne Braspennincx took over the front of the first heat in qualifying.
Ellesse Andrews leads the heat through the final corner to qualify for the next round.
Laurine Genest and Kaarle McCulloch qualified in the last heat to move onto the quarter-finals.
Current world record holder in the women’s 200-meter sprint, Kelsey Mitchell used her superior speed to stay in front and out of trouble.
Boxed in early during the second lap, Godby was able to power through the middle and qualify for the quarter-finals.
Pulling away to win, Shanne Braspennincx, Ellesse Andrews, and Lauriane Genest were on the front of the final sprint.
2020 Olympic women’s Keirin medalists: Shanne Braspennincx with gold, Ellesse Andrews with silver, and Laurine Genest with bronze.