🎥 Yakovlev delives bizarre sprint performances against Hoogland at the World Track Cycling Championships

Mikhail Yakovlev stole the show on Saturday evening at the World Track Cycling Championships in Denmark, but not in the way he had envisioned. The track sprinter, who rides under the Israeli flag, was beaten in a very strange way by Jeffrey Hoogland in his first quarter-final heat of the sprint event. In the decisive third heat, he even crashed immediately after the start.

With a bit of luck, Hoogland immediately made a strong impression. However, the battle is far from over, as Yakovlev is not an easy opponent. Earlier this year, he placed third at the European Championships in Apeldoorn in the Netherlands. The other Dutch contender and top favorite to win the sprint, Harrie Lavreysen, easily won his first heat against the Japanese rider Yuta Obara. The sprint final is scheduled for Sunday afternoon.

In the second heat, Yakovlev did manage to strike back, although the difference with Hoogland was extremely narrow. In the third and deciding heat, the Dutchman immediately launched an attack, surprising Yakovlev to the point that he crashed. The sprinter was clearly not fully focused today, and it cost him dearly. Although he was given another chance in a repechage, he was unable to pose any serious challenge to Hoogland. Hoogland advanced to the semi-finals, along with Lavreysen.