Fachie wins second national title in as many days

Cycling
Lora Fachie and Corrine Hall in celebratory mood on the bike at the National Track ChampionshipSWpix.com

Lora Fachie and pilot Corrine Hall won their second gold in as many days at the National Track Championships in Manchester.

The two-time Paralympic champions defeated Sophie Unwin and Jenny Holl in the women’s Para B pursuit.

It completed their double, having pipped world champions Unwin and Holl to gold in Friday’s time trial.

Lauren Bell and Will Perrett were among the other British champions crowned on day two at the National Cycling Centre.

“This isn’t the most important race we’ll do this year by any means, but having confidence going into races really helps,” Fachie told BBC Sport after her victory with Hall.

The Para-cycling Track World Championships are coming up in March, before the Paris Paralympics take centre stage in late summer.

“We don’t want to get complacent, our job’s not done here,” Fachie added, “but it’s a stepping stone and shows that we’re going in the right direction.”

Earlier, Bell defeated 2022 champion Rhian Edmunds in the women’s sprint final, having not dropped a match sprint in any round.

“I came in with the goal of having fun riding my bike,” said Bell, a two-time world medallist in the team sprint.

“A lot of time with races, I put a lot of pressure on myself, so I just came here and was enjoying myself.”

Perrett defended his points race title from 2023, gaining three laps to win by a 42-point margin.

Speaking after the 120-lap points race, Perrett, the 2023 European omnium bronze medallist, said: “It hit that point you could tell people’s legs were tired, so it was time to go.

“I got about halfway round and thought ‘why did I do this?’. In three weeks’ time, I’ve got the Hong Kong Nations Cup and that’s what I’m training towards.

“It feels as though I’m lacking a bit of zip but I’m clearly very fit and strong so hopefully [in the] next couple of weeks I’ll keep building and gain that speed.”

Will Perrett celebrates his win

SWpix.com

Morning steak bakes fuel Pope victory

A nervous Aaron Pope had prepared for the men’s kilo time trial by eating three steak bakes and it proved the breakfast of champions as he won his first national title, clocking one minute 2.172 seconds to pip Niall Monks to the national stripes in Saturday’s sold-out evening session.

“It was very hard, and not something I’m sure I want to do again if I’m honest,” Pope, racing for the University of Exeter, told BBC Sport.

“I feel a bit out of place, having sat having a Greggs this morning for breakfast, and then getting a stripy top, I feel a bit daft. Hopefully my mum will be proud.”

Kate Richardson won the women’s individual pursuit title, after catching Frankie Hall, while Steve Bate – who won two golds at the Rio Paralympics – and his pilot Chris Latham won the men’s Para pursuit title after also making the catch.

The trio of Harry Ledingham-Horn, Ed Lowe and Hayden Norris won gold in the team sprint.

In Saturday’s earlier session, national records tumbled as Fin Graham set a new best of three minutes 23.921 seconds in the men’s C3 individual pursuit, with Jaco van Gass in second place also beating the previous record.

In the men’s C4-5 individual pursuit, Archie Atkinson defended his national title with a new record of four minutes 30.477 seconds.

Like Fachie, Daphne Schrager won a second title in as many days, defending her crown in the women’s C1-5 individual pursuit, while Matthew Robertson added to the bronze medal he won on Friday with gold in the men’s C1-2 pursuit.

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