Competition breathing down their necks: Friedrich and Hinze pay for success

After all their successes, the two track cycling stars Lea Sophie Friedrich and Emma Hinze obviously don't get anything for free from their opponents. The two sprinters realised this in the Keirin sprint battle at the World Cycling Championships in Glasgow.

Chased by the competition, defending champion Friedrich had to settle for bronze on Sunday evening, while Hinze was even eliminated in the semi-finals. "If someone was world champion twice and I wasn't, I would always look at how she rides. It's no secret how I ride," said Friedrich, who triumphed in the discipline in 2021 and 2022.

Glasgow 2023 World Cycling Championships: Opponents set their sights on Emma Hinze

And Hinze - already decorated with two World Championship gold medals in Glasgow - also realises how her opponents are targeting her. "It's been worse before, at the Olympics for example. But I generally realise that it's like that. You just have to deal with it. It's also recognition in itself," emphasised the 25-year-old, who almost collided with her young team-mate Alessa Catriona Pröpster in the insignificant race for seventh to twelfth place.

Since her crash in the Champions League, the keirin discipline has been "a bit difficult" for her, said Hinze, who was more annoyed about her own mistakes: "I didn't ride that cleverly." She had to ride long distances on the wooden oval in the semi-final and ultimately lacked the strength. Friedrich also made what was probably a crucial faux pas in the final. After initially taking the lead, the 23-year-old allowed herself to be sprinted over and jammed. "I was annoyed because I should have reacted earlier. It was disappointing at first."

Hinze and Friedrich had won gold in the team sprint together with Pauline Grabosch at the start. Hinze also won the 500 metre time trial, in which Friedrich secured bronze. There are now further medal chances in the sprint competition, which starts on Monday.

Copyright 2023, dpa (www.dpa.de). All rights reserved