The 2015 UCI Track Cycling World Championships opened in St-Quentin-en-Yveline, France, on Wednesday with a world record time set, plus a win for the host nation. Stephanie Pohl of Germany won the first world title of these Championships in the Women's Points Race, while China took the Women's Team Sprint title in world record time, and France finished out the day with a victory in the Men's Team Sprint.
Pohl was the dominant rider of the Points Race, taking a lap on the field and winning two intermediate sprints for a total of 38 points. Japan's Minami Uwano finished second with 28 points and Kimberly Geist of the United States won the bronze medal with 25 points.
Pohl, who finished second at last year's world championships, said "I felt really good, much better than last year. I was able to get a lap and then made sure no one else got away. This year my family is here and I am so happy to win for them."
China is a perennial favourite in the Team Sprint, winning four silver and two bronze medals in the past eight years, but this year was the one where they finally took gold. After qualifying second to European champions Russia, the Chinese team of Jinjie Gong and Tianshi Zhong put together a world record run in the gold medal final, knocking 0.119 seconds off the time of defending champion Germany. Australia took the bronze medal ahead of Germany.
The men's Team Sprint saw some drama, with first place qualifier and defending champion New Zealand initially beating France in the gold medal race, only to get relegated to the silver medal after it was determined they made an exchange between the first and second rider outside of the transition zone. The disappointment of the Kiwis was palpable when the building erupted in cheers after the relegation was announced, and the French team of Gregory Baugé, Kevin Sireau and Michaël d'Almeida were declared the winners. Germany defeated Russia to take the bronze medal.
"It's amazing. Incredible," said Baugé. "We knew nothing about the change. Maybe 10 minutes after the finish we are told 'you are World Champion', I guess because of the rules? It is a good start for Team France. Good for the public, good for the team."
The action continues on Thursday, with the final round of the Team Pursuit for women and men, the Men's Keirin, Women's 500 metre Time Trial and the Men's Scratch Race.
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