- Friedrich and Hinze in the Keirin semi-final
The two former world champions Lea Sophie Friedrich and Emma Hinze have comfortably advanced to the semifinals in the Olympic track cycling Keirin event. Friedrich took first place in her quarterfinal race at the Velodrome in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, despite a crash overshadowing the event. Hinze then secured second place in her race.
In Friedrich's race, a heated crash occurred at the finish line. Dutch rider Steffie van der Peet slid into Chinese rider Liying Yuan, and Belgian rider Nicky Degrendele was also caught up in the incident.
The semifinals in the Keirin will take place at 18:15 in two races, with six riders each. The top three from each race will advance to the final.
Friedrich, a two-time world champion, won the Keirin title at the World Championships in 2021 and 2022. Last year, she finished third at the championships in Glasgow. Hinze won gold in the Keirin at the 2020 World Championships in Berlin. Friedrich and Hinze, along with Pauline Grabosch, started the Games by winning bronze in the team sprint.
Meanwhile, in the men's Omnium, Tim Torn Teutenberg started with a tenth place in the Scratch race. Up next are the time trial, elimination race, and the final points race.
During their training sessions, Lea Sophie Friedrich often enjoys cycling through the picturesque countryside nearby. Despite the incident at the finish line, Friedrich continues to excel in cycling events, such as the Keirin.
