On the penultimate day of the World Cycling Championships in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Hetty van de Wouw narrowly missed out on the prizes in the 500-meter time trial. She came fourth into the final and that’s where the 24-year-old rider from Kaatsheuvel found herself even after the crucial stages.

What was wrong was that she was faster than Kristina Clonan, the number three in qualifying, but unlike Guo Yugang, she couldn’t improve compared to earlier in the day.

The Chinese went into the final in seventh place but ended up scoring 33,214 points while Van de Wouw, who finished in the last eight with 33,183, was stuck at 33,243. Kyra Lamberink was the last to qualify for the final and that was also her place in the final standings.

Kouame under 33

Something similar happened in the fight for the title. Emma Hinze, the German trump card in the time trial in the absence of defending champion Lea Sophie Friedrich, was the only one to stay under 33 seconds in qualifying, but the favorite was unable to repeat that in the final.

20-year-old Taky Marie Kouamé wowed the French home crowd – and herself – by peaking in the final battle and breaking the 33-second barrier. Hinze became European champion in Munich earlier this year, while Kouamé finished seventh.

Lavreysen with great ease

Harrie Lavreysen again impressed in the men’s sprint. The man who has dominated the last three World Cups and also won Olympic gold last year prevailed in the quarter-finals with childish ease against Hamish Turnbull from Britain, whom he defeated twice.

The semi-finals and rounds for the medals will take place on Sunday.

Second title-strong Kopecky

Belgium’s Shari Bossuyt and Lotte Kopecky captured the world title at Madison by becoming the only pair to lead a lap. They replaced the stopped Kirsten Wild and Amy Pieters, who was recovering from a bad fall, the Dutch pair who have raced to gold in the last three World Cups.

Her successors at home – 21-year-old Maike van der Duin, who has already won silver in the Scratch and Omnium, and Marit Raaijmakers, two years older – are not ready yet, they finished in points in four of the twelve sprints and finished sixth.

For a long time, the French Clara Copponi and Valentine Fortin seemed on their way to the title. Until strong Kopecky, who already clinched gold on the drop rate earlier this week, stepped on the gas. With 17 of the 120 laps to go, she and Bossuyt managed one lap (and thus 20 points).

For a moment the French thought they had won the last sprint after all by winning the last sprint which was rewarded with double points (ten). But the couple, the loudly sympathetic audience and initially the jury had overlooked the Dane. They drove a little in front of it and took the full booty with them. With six points in the final sprint, France was just one point short of gold.

Check out the evening program and the Sunday program below.