While the 6-day season is in full swing in Central Europe, Christian Grasmann and Nico Heßlich from the Rudy Project Racing Team continue to accelerate in Great Britain. The duo is still in the lead after the third of five rounds of the Revolution Series.
In Manchester, both athletes were also able to enjoy the enthusiastic crowd. In front of a sold-out stadium, they lived up to their favorite status and further extended their lead in the overall standings. The event kicked off with the 250-meter flying lap , which two-time Olympic champion Ed Clancy (JLT) won in 13.208 seconds, narrowly beating Hesslich, who needed 13.408 seconds.
This was followed by a 40-kilometer points race, in which UCI points were also at stake. The riders needed only 46 minutes for the distance. Briton Peter Kennaugh (Sky) was the fastest, managing to lap the entire field a total of seven times. He won convincingly ahead of Ed Clancy and Heßlich. Grasmann secured fifth place. "With these excellent results, we've laid the foundation for the stage win in Manchester ," said Heßlich after the race.
But even after that, the Irschenbergers showed a good eye and currently even better form. They finished third in the team trials, only to finish second in the prestigious 1000-meter Madison time trial shortly thereafter. Clancy and his partner Ollie Wood (JLT) secured victory here, setting a new world record with a time of 54.537 seconds. In the final scratch race, too, Grasmann and Heßlich achieved second place.
In the overall standings, the duo are now in first place with 132 points, followed by Ed Clancy and Ollie Wood, who have 109 points.