Lara Gillespie secures another top-10 finish

Lara Gillespie secured her latest top-10 finish at the 2024 Tissot UCI Track World Championships as she came eighth in the omniun in what was a new personal best in the event.

On Thursday, the Irish rider was fifth in the elimination event, and produced another good performance on Friday in the 24-person event.

Gillespie finished sixth in the scratch race for 30 points, while there were 24 points from the tempo race when she finished ninth.

It was eighth – and 26 points - in the elimination race while the Wicklow rider finished in the same position in the points race.

That points race consists of 80 laps, with intermediate sprints offering points every ten laps and 20 points on offer for a lap gain.

Jessica Roberts of Great Britain was the first rider to achieve a lap gain putting her at the top of the leaderboard with just over 30 laps to go.

With 33 laps to go, Gillespie made her move closely marked by Victoire Berteau for France, before being naturalised by Jennifer Valente. Gillespie continued on the attack, winning five points in the next intermediate sprint.

Gillespie remained closely marked throughout the race. The final laps became very tense, with a crash with just four laps to go and riders all keen to try and secure some of the double points that were on offer for the final sprint.

In the end it was Wollaston who secured her second rainbow jersey in as many days. Roberts finished second and Anita Stenberg completed the podium.

Speaking to Cycling Ireland afterward, Gillespie said: "I can be happy with how I raced today because I really suffered a lot, my body was not so happy today but I fought on. I enjoyed the race, I was aggressive at some times but also I had to be conservative with the feeling that my legs and my