Gavin Hoover vaults to second in UCI Track Champions League endurance category

Gavin Hoover dominated the elimination race and placed fifth in the scratch race Friday night to move within range of the lead of the endurance category of the UCI Track Champions League.

Hoover, 24, started Friday’s third round of the league in third overall but vaulted past Kiwi rider Corbin Strong to slot into second behind Sebastián Mora (Spain) at the end of the night of racing in the London Lea Valley VeloPark.

Hoover, who represented Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics, scored his first race win of the series in emphatic fashion in the elimination race. The New Yorker despatched series-leader Sebastián Mora (Spain) before blasting away from final remaining rider Alan Banaszek (Poland) in the final lap.

“I knew I’ve been riding the eliminations well and my thought process was to make every sprint and see what happens at the end,” Hoover said after his victory.

“It’s amazing. I’ve been really consistent. I’m really happy with where that’s put me in the overall, but I also just really wanted to win. So to get one in the elimination where you’re the only one on the track is amazing.”

Mora now holds a five-point lead in the men’s endurance league ahead of the final round of racing in London on Saturday night.

Men’s endurance standings after round 3:

1. Sebastián Mora (Spain): 89
2. Gavin Hoover (USA): 84
3. Corbin Strong (New Zealand): 68

Elsewhere, Katie Archibald (Great Britain) leads the women’s endurance series, while Harrie Lavreysen (Netherlands) and Emma Hinze (Germany) lead the two sprint leagues.

While you’re here, be sure to check out Gavin’s blog and galleries from the spectacular new UCI series:

Gavin Hoover’s photojournals: 

• A racer’s view of Mallorca: Holed up in paradise when the rain won’t stop 
• A racer’s view of Lithuanian light shows at the Champions League 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Gavin Hoover (@hoovergavin)