Jennifer Valente closed out the Olympic Games with a bang Sunday to defend her omnium title in the final day of racing in Paris.
The Tokyo 2020 Olympic omnium champion already won gold in team pursuit and was fourth in the Madison this week. Valente raced tactically in four mass-start races to snag her fifth career Olympic medal.
“It’s been a long week of racing, with some strong performances. I’m thrilled that I was able to pull it off on the last day. I’m excited,” she said. “It’s the pinnacle of my career to win another Olympic gold medal. There is nothing better than this.”
Valente earned the maximum 40 points in the scratch race and elimination race and was second in the tempo race for 38 points. She closed out with 26 in the points race, giving her more than enough to hold off a challenge from Poland’s Daria Pikulik.
Valente finished with 144 points to take the gold, 13 more than the 131 compiled by Pikulik to claim silver. New Zealand’ s Ally Wollaston won the bronze with 125 points.
Valente said she pushed it until the very end.
“You’re always fearful of the possibility that someone could just make a jump at the last minute, and take it away from you,” she said. “It is certainly not over until it’s all the way over, and bunch racing can be so unpredictable.”
Team USA now has won an Olympic medal at each of the four Olympic Games were women have competed in the omnium. Sarah Hammer took silver in London 2012 and Rio 2016, while Valente has brought home gold in the last two Games.
Team USA closes out the Paris Olympics with six cycling medals, the most in a non-boycott modern Games.
Valente demurred when asked if she would race in Los Angeles 2028, saying that her first priority was making it to the closing ceremony in time.
Results:
1. Jennifer Valente (USA)
2. Daria Pikulik (POL)
3. Ally Wollaston (NZL)
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