Adelaide cyclist Alex Manly continues her winning way claiming her second gold medal at world track cycling champs

ADELAIDE cyclist Alex Manly was still in disbelief yesterday after winning her second gold medal of the UCI track world championships in Poland.

Australia's Alexandra Manly celebrates winning the points race at the UCI track world championships in Poland on Monday. Picture: Alik Keplicz (AFP).

ADELAIDE cyclist Alex Manly was still in disbelief yesterday after winning her second gold medal of the UCI track world championships in Poland.

Three days after she was part of Australia’s women’s team pursuit quartet that won the world title in Pruszkow, Manly claimed individual glory as well by winning the 100-lap points race that went down to the final sprint.

“I can’t believe what just happened, it is still a blur, it is so super special,” Manly said.

“The plan worked out perfectly. I conserved energy at the start but still managed to get points. Then I recovered, recovered, recovered and when the moment was there I attacked.

“I knew I had to go for a lap as I knew I would need a big chunk of points if I wanted to be in the mix for the medals. I just needed to stay composed for the final sprint, and I did.”

The 23-year-old from the Adelaide Hills who went to Cornerstone College in Mount Barker, delivered Australia’s sixth and final gold medal of the championships.

Australia finished second on the medal tally but equal with top-ranked nation The Netherlands for gold.

Alex Manly with coach Jason Bartram in Poland. Picture: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty.

“This week has been super special, Ash (Ankudinoff) getting the rainbows (in the individual pursuit) yesterday was so inspiring,” Manly said.

“And the girls in the madison last night, they fought all the way, they almost had it. And also to Nettie, she only had one mistake which cost her but she fought to the end.”

Fellow SA cyclist Matthew Glaetzer narrowly missed the medals in the men’s sprint when he went in as defending champion and finished fourth after being beaten by Polish rider Mateusz Rudyk in their bronze medal race.

Manly won her second rainbow jersey of the championships with gold in the points race. Picture: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty.

After winning gold in the team sprint with Kaarle McCulloch earlier in the week, Stephanie Morton won her third consecutive silver medal at the world championships in the individual sprint when she lost to Hong Kong’s Lee Wai Sze in their final.

McCulloch backed up by winning a surprise silver in the women’s keirin final.

“I can’t quite believe this right now, the keirin is my last focus so it is nice to know that I can actually do it and encouraging as we head towards Tokyo,” McCulloch said.

“This is 10 years on from my first world title in Poland, I am still improving, I am setting personal bests. I love the environment here at Cycling Australia, working with Steph is amazing, we have a good partnership going on.

“We have a common dream heading towards Tokyo and hopefully we can sign seal and deliver that dream.”

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Originally published as Adelaide cyclist Alex Manly continues her winning way claiming her second gold medal at world track cycling champs