Daphne Schrager broke a world record as Great Britain’s para-cyclists wasted no time in making their mark at the UCI Cycling World Championships in Glasgow.
Competition officially gets under way on Thursday but the para-cyclists were in qualifying action at the Sir Chris Hoy velodrome, and Schrager, who won the C3 title last year, demolished the previous world’s best in the women’s C2 individual pursuit.
The former track athlete, 22, clocked a time of three minutes 51.721 seconds over the 3,000 metre distance, taking more than 10 seconds out of Flurina Rigling’s 2022 record, although Schrager will face a test in Friday’s gold medal race with Rigling just over a second behind.
“We came in with a plan, I kind of rode to that plan but I don’t think I entirely did, I just went really hard,” Schrager said. “It’s qualifying for a home world champs so why would you not just go all in?
“I didn’t even know I’d done as quick a time as I had, so it was just like, ‘Wow’. But I kind of knew it was in the tank because we’ve been working really hard for the pursuit.”
Britain are already assured of one gold medal with Lora Fachie and Corrine Hall to face Sophie Unwin and Jenny Holl in the women’s B individual pursuit after setting the fastest two times.
Sam Ruddock qualified for the bronze medal race in the men’s C1 individual pursuit, and Morgan Newberry will go for bronze in the women’s C5 individual pursuit.
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