Russian rider Anastasia Chulkova won gold in the women’s points race at the Track Cycling World Championships in Melbourne, Australia, on Thursday.
Chulkova won win 31 points, three ahead of Germany’s Jasmin Glaesser in second place, with Ireland’s Caroline Ryan in third.
Chulkova won 20 points from leading the group and a further 11 in sprints, gaining a crucial advantage on the final sprint, when Glaesser failed to score.
The medal is Russia’s first at the championships, and the country’s first gold at the world championships since Olga Sliusareva won the women’s scratch race in Los Angeles in 2005.
Moscow-born Chulkova has previously won in the team pursuit and scratch at round of the World Cup, but this is her first major medal in the points race.
The points race will not be among the cycling events at the London Olympics this summer.
