Katie Archibald “struggled with the pressure” after narrowly missing out on a medal in the women’s omnium to close the track events at the UCI Cycling World Championships.
Archibald came into the worlds on home turf in Glasgow still grieving her late partner Rab Wardell, who died suddenly at home last year, and had spoken of her desire to honour his memory in competition this week.
She did that and more as she helped Britain to women’s team pursuit gold at the weekend, and she then delivered an attacking performance in the points race to round out the omnium but was narrowly denied bronze by Belgium’s Lotte Kopecky as American Jennifer Valente successfully defended her title.
The two-time Olympic champion left nothing in reserve in the deciding points race, but had left herself with too much to do after mistakes in the tempo and elimination races midway through the competition, starting the final event down in eighth and hauling herself up to fourth.
“It’s nice to at least finish on a race where I feel like I’ve given it my all,” the 29-year-old said. “I’ve had this anxiety building since May, really, feeling like you’re going to be trotted out for slaughter. I thought once I got racing that maybe it would be OK.
“But the scratch race didn’t go to plan, the tempo went so far from what I wanted it, then I made a massive mistake in the elimination race – a passive mistake, which is more frustrating.
“I came off so low after the elimination but the pressure was gone then. I was at the bottom of the pack. I’ve struggled with the pressure.”
Having left herself with work to do, Archibald began the points race in determined fashion, launching her first big attack 15 laps into the race and needing only five laps to catch the back of the pack, picking up 20 points to vault into medal contention.
She launched another big move with 31 laps to go but this time dragged Denmark’s Amalie Dideriksen and Kopecky with her, keeping both of them ahead in the standings behind Valente.
Archibald tried another big attack going into the final sprint but Kopecky came around her before the line to take the bronze medal with 133 points to Archibald’s 127.
British Cycling performance director Stephen Park said: “Katie’s shown an incredible resilience. She’s had an incredibly tough year.
“For those of us who have found ourselves in those situations at different times, you know, just getting through the day and getting on with it again tomorrow is tough.
“I’m pleased that she’s felt the team and her team-mates have been able to help her with that feeling of family, love and support.
“But we so admire the resilience that she’s shown to get up every day, get back on the bike, get back into training and be in a position to turn up here, really get out and deliver her best – and to honour her former partner Rab – while recognising the support and love she’s had from across the country.
“This is just one step as she continues to grow, as she continues to grieve – and hopefully she continues towards Paris and LA. She’s a stand-out character, stand-out performer with some great team-mates around her.”
