The Track Cycling continues on Sunday in Rio with the start of the Men’s Omnium and Women’s Sprint competitions.
Men’s Omnium
The best way to describe the Omnium is to call it the equivalent of the track and field heptathlon or decathlon events. The Omnium is split over two days and comprises 6 different events (3 on each day):
- Scratch race;
- Individual Pursuit;
- Elimination Race;
- Time Trial (1km);
- Flying Lap (against the clock);
- Points Race.
It is a notoriously difficult competition to win as the riders need to be strong across all 6 race types. Points are awarded to the winner of each the first 5 races – 40 to the winner, 38 to second, 36 for third, etc. The format of the Points Race means the riders can gain or lose points depending on the flow of the race.
The three medalists and top 6 from the march World Championships feature here and the winner should come from those riders. I would expect the order to be different.
The Contenders
Favourite is Fernando Gaviria Rendon (COL) the Omnium World Champion from 2016 and 2015. He is a strong rider. He tends to rack up his big points in the Individual Pursuit, Time Trial and Elimination Race. Then he remains competitive in the remaining three events. Rendon can be backed at odds in the 2.75-3.00 range. He has a history of strong performances in this event and should be favoured to win.
Second favourite is Mark Cavendish (GBR) – 6th at the World Championships. Coming into the 2016 season two things were missing from Cavendish’s palmares – a Tour de France Yellow Jersey and an Olympic Gold Medal. Well he surprised me somewhat at the TDF, claiming his first Yellow Jersey. When you consider this was accomplished in a season where his training has been focused on Olympic Track success – this is an astounding achievement. Cavendish tends to rack up points in the Scratch Race, Elimination Race and the Flying Lap. He may struggle in the Individual Pursuit but I think he can improve his Time Trial here. Given the way the British Team have performed you would think he has every chance – at odds in the 4.50-5.50 range.
Another rider who spends more time on the roads than the track is third favourite – Elia Viviani (ITA). Viviani too is a sprinter on the roads and finished 4th in the World Championships in March. His strengths in the Omnium event match Cavendish’s. On the road this season Cavendish was a much better sprinter than Viviani. The Omnium is different tactically and in format but I don’t think Viviani will beat Cavendish here. Viviani is priced in the 4.50-5.50 range too.
The next three are Glenn O’Shea (AUS), Lasse Norman Hansen (DEN) and Roger Kluge (GER). They finished in 3rd, 5th and 2nd places at the 2016 World Championships. They will all be in the mix for medals. All three rider road and track with Kluge probably having the most impressive road career with a stage win in this years Giro D’Italia. At the World Championship’s Kluge and Hansen gained points in the final race of the event – the Points Race. Here they were able to escape and take a lap on the field which boosted their points totals. I’m not so sure they will be allowed such freedom here.
This is reflected in the bookmakers odds. O’Shea is the fancied rider fo the 3 in the 5.50-7.00 range. Hansen (9.00-15.00) and Kluge (12.00-17.00) have the look of outsiders. O’Shea had a terrible Individual Pursuit at the World’s – finishing 17th of the 20 riders. That is surprising for a rider with an Olympic Silver medal from London in the Team Pursuit. I can see a big improvement in this event in Rio and I think he can medal.
Women’s Sprint
The Women’s Sprint starts on Sunday but doesn’t finish until Tuesday as there are multiple rounds of heats.
The Chinese Team won the Team Sprint competition with ease. The two riders they have in the Individual Sprint finished 1st and 2nd at the World Championships and one of the two is likely winner here.
Event favourite is Zhong Tianshi – the World Champion. The top 4 in London were really close in terms of times. The medal rounds in London were incredibly close but Tianshi seems to have gained on her rivals since then. She has already won Gold here as part of the Team Sprint. The bookmakers have her priced in the 2.60-4.00 range. True she struggled in the Keirin here but her speciality is the sprint. Her Team Sprint performance suggests these are generous prices.
Tianshi’s team-mate Lin Junhong finished 2nd at the World Championships and is third favourite here at 5.00-6.50. Close to her in the betting markets are Kristina Vogel (GER) – World Championship bronze medal winner and Anna Mears (AUS) – 4th in the World’s but 3rd here in the Keirin yesterday. Vogel can be backed 4.33-5.00 range and Mears in the 7.00-10.00 range.
A better choice for an outside might be Becky James (GBR). James won silver on Saturday in the Women’s keirin, beating Mears (3rd) and Vogel (6th) in the process. Team GB are flying on the velodrome here and a small EW bet on James might pay dividends in the 7.50 range.
Keirin winner Elis Ligtlee (NED) also rides in the Women’s Sprint. Ligtlee was a surprise winner of the keirin and it would be a surprise if she could double up here. She is priced in the same range as James – 6.50-10.00.
Track Cycling – Mens Omnium – Tips
PLACED – Bet on Mark Cavendish to win the Omnium with a 1.5/10 stake EW (1/4 odds top 3) at 4.50 with Ladbrokes.
Back Glenn O’Shea to win the Omnium with a 1.0/10 stake EW (1/4 odds top 3) at 6.50 with Ladbrokes.
Bet on both here:
Track Cycling – Women’s Sprint Tips
Back Zhong Tianshi to win the Women’s Sprint with a 2.5/10 stake at 4.00 with Betfred.
Bet on Tianshi here:
PLACED – Back Becky James to win the Women’s Sprint with a 1.0/10 stake EW (1/3 odds top 2) at 7.50 with Ladbrokes.
Bet on James here
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