Sexton Sizzles With Omnium Win On Cambridge Grand Prix Opening Day

Commonwealth Games gold medallist Tom Sexton continued his outstanding track form on the opening day of the UCI Cambridge Grand Prix.

The Southland rider claimed a narrow victory in an exciting omnium competition, in the three-day UCI event with riders from 10 nations competing for valuable international ranking points at the Grassroots Trust Velodrome in Cambridge.

Sexton made a strong start in the four-discipline event, winning the 10km scratch race from teammate Campbell Stewart and Scotland’s Mark Stewart.

He then dominated the tempo race, putting a lap on the field for 20 bonus points and winning 15 sprints to lead the way from fellow kiwis Daniel Bridgwater and Keegan Hornblow.

Scotland’s Stewart edged Corbin Strong in the final of the elimination with Sexton third, leaving him with a handy six-point advantage into the final points race from Campbell Stewart and 12 points to Mark Stewart.

Sexton scored points in each of the 10 sprints in the 25km points race but had to withstand a strong finish from the Scottish rider who joined with Bridgwater to lap the field for 20 bonus points.

However Sexton responded to finish second in the final double-points sprint to secure the overall honours on 144 points from Mark Stewart on 141 and Bridgwater on 123.

Japan champion Kaiya Ota pushed New Zealand’s Sam Dakin in the men’s sprint competition, with the visitor topping qualifying with a slick 9.684s. Dakin was second fastest in 9.873 from Ireland’s Conor Rowley in 9.966.

Ota and Dakin both won their quarterfinal and semifinal contests with the visitor claiming the final in two closely-fought, best-of-three rides.

In the women’s keirin competition, Ellesse Andrews won her first heat but was pipped by Japan’s best, Riyu Ohta in the final with Australian Selina Ho third, while Shaane Fulton, making her return from long-term injury, won the consolation final.

The competition continues until Sunday.