Canada’s Kelsey Mitchell strikes gold in women’s keirin for 2nd medal at Nations Cup | CBC Sports

Canadian cyclist Kelsey Mitchell raced to gold in the women’s keirin event for her second medal at the UCI Track Nations Cup on Sunday in Milton, Ont.

Mitchell, of Sherwood Park, Alta., narrowly edged out Lea Friedrich of Germany and Japan’s Mina Sato who finished second and third, respectively. 

Lauriane Genest, of Lévis, Que., crashed out in a collision with Dutch cyclist Steffie van der Peet and Japan’s Yuka Kobayashi on the fifth of six laps.

Genest, who won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics less than a year ago in the event, finished fourth in the final classification.

WATCH | Kelsey Mitchell races to gold, Genest crashes out at UCI Track Nations Cup:

Canadian Kelsey Mitchell wins, Lauriane Genest crashes out of keirin final

Mitchell topped the podium in Milton, Ontario on Sunday, while Genest was involved in a dangerous crash during the second-last lap.

Mitchell, who won silver in the women’s sprint on Friday, started out the race in fourth place among the six racers and stayed in that spot until she made her move outside and lept out to first place just as the riders had started the fifth lap.

On the final turn of the sixth lap, Friedrich and Sato made a strong push for first but Mitchell was able to hold on to win the race.

The 27-year-old Mitchell is the reigning Olympic champion in the women’s sprint, and finished fifth in the keirin at the Tokyo Games last summer.