Team GB’s Emma Finucane bags second medal of Olympics with a third and history in sight

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Thank goodness for Emma Finucane. The bubbly, 21-year-old rising star of GB track cycling, who says that she is sleeping with her gold medal from Monday’s team sprint under her pillow “like the Tooth Fairy”, picked up another bronze in the keirin on Thursday. In doing so Finucane rescued what had threatened to be a pretty average day for Team GB in the velodrome.

Ethan Hayter’s eighth place finish in the omnium certainly cast a bit of a shadow over proceedings. After the drama of Wednesday night’s team pursuit, when the Londoner fell off his saddle on the final lap as he hit the wall trying desperately to overhaul Australia, Hayter struggled all day, even in the elimination race which he won, and was unusually passive in the final points race. “Normally I take it on and batter everyone’s heads in,” he said. “But today I was on the backfoot and getting my head kicked in.”

Combined with what was a messy progression through sprint qualifying for Jack Carlin, and even Finucane’s bronze after she had been heavily tipped for gold, there was the potential for a bit of negativity to seep in.

Finucane, though, does not do negativity. After sneaking through her semi-final in a photo finish after a touch of wheels with the Netherlands’ Steffie van der Peet on the last lap, she drew sixth spot behind the derny bike for the final, meaning she had to come through from the back of the field. Despite her best efforts on the last two laps, she was unable to come over the top of New Zealand’s world champion Ellesse Andrews, fading slightly in the last 50 metres as the Netherlands’ Hetty van de Wouw claimed silver by 0.028 sec. Katy Marchant, her team-mate and friend, finished fourth, the worst place to finish.

But there was not a hint of frustration in Finucane.

“That bronze medal literally feels like a gold to me,” she beamed. “It was a really stacked field. I think I went a lap too early, but I knew if I didn’t go then, I couldn’t wait any longer. This track you need to go early. Being drawn in six was a really hard position but I did everything I could. And to get a gold and a bronze in my first Olympics, and to have the sprint left, it’s such a surreal moment. And then to have Katy on that start line with me was honestly the best moment ever.”

Finucane is right to be proud. There will be some who will say she ought to have done better. But the keirin is a crapshoot at the best of times. At 21, in her first Games, she has a gold and a bronze in her pocket. If she can pick up another medal on Sunday, she will become the first British woman since the swimmer Joyce Cooper in 1928 to win three medals in a single Olympics. There is no reason she should not. It is an event in which she is the reigning world champion.

“It would be amazing,” she agreed. “I just want to enjoy it because I’ve got nothing to lose, I’ve got two medals already and I’m going to leave everything on the track as I always do. After today I know the legs are there.”

It is hard not to be pulled along by such positivity. The Olympics is generally a serious business, particularly in the velodrome where the scale of the funding means massive pressure. Poor Hayter was absolutely devastated at the end of his omnium. After a sixth place in the scratch race, and a 12th in the tempo, Hayter had managed to win the elimination race to pull himself back into contention. He started the final points race just 18pts off the gold medal.

But he never threw a punch. “Without blowing my own trumpet I’ve won every elite omnium since Tokyo,” he said, disconsolately. “But I’ve just not felt myself all day.” Asked how much that was down to going deep into the red on Wednesday night, he shrugged. “I don’t know. Obviously it was really hard yesterday going that deep and then emotionally afterwards to recover, but I rode on the road this morning, I felt good. I thought I was ready but for whatever reason I wasn’t myself.”

Hayter will get one more chance of gold in the Madison on Saturday. He said he was looking forward to not having to come into the track on Friday.

Finucane is not having that problem. The Welsh rider said she had not been able to stop pinching herself since winning gold on Monday. “I’ve slept with the medal under my pillow,” she revealed, laughing. “It’s like the tooth fairy, I check and it’s still there. I’m rooming with Katy so I woke up and I was like, ‘Hey Olympic gold medallist!’ and she was like ‘Hey’! I’ll sleep with my bronze under my pillow as well. It’s just surreal.

She added: “I’m going to give everything to do something on Sunday but I’ve got to get through tomorrow and Saturday first. These girls are really strong. I know I am too. I’ve just got to enjoy it, and I am. I’m living my best life.”

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Finucane takes keirin bronze for second medal at Paris 2024: As it happened

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07:35 PM BST

Final words from Tom Cary from a disappointed Ethan Hayter

Very deflated Ethan Hayter in the mixed zone. He said he hadn’t felt himself all day and found it difficult to come down emotionally from last night’s drama.

Hayter went on a road ride this morning and thought he was ok but was never himself. Even the elimination he said wasn’t great (he won it). Said he was comfortable being favourite.

“Normally I kick everyone’s heads in but today I got mine kicked in”. Ouch.

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07:28 PM BST

What’s on tomorrow in the velodrome?

Phew, the velodrome schedulers don’t like pauses for breath, do they? That’s it for today’s action.

Tomorrow sees lunchtime men’s sprint semi-finals, with Jack Carlin going for a medal, and the first women’s sprint qualifying and 1/32 rounds. Then there’s the men’s sprint final at 17:00 BST followed by the women’s Madison final, with Neah Evans and Elinor Barker going for Team GB.

Thanks for reading, we’ll see you tomorrow.

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07:22 PM BST

“Bronze feels like gold”: Emma Finucane reacts to keirin medal

On what it means:

On giving something special to her family:

On her next medal chance – the sprint:

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07:14 PM BST

Ota Kaiya wins sprint for fifth

The Japanese sprinter was fastest, despite an elbow out from Mateusz Rudyk (Poland) designed to slow him. Sixth for Hamish Turnbull (Team GB) in his first Olympics.

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07:10 PM BST

The French crowd sing their anthem in the velodrome

What just happened? Four events in three and a half crazy hours.

I need a sit down and a stiff drink, the French fans will certainly be having a few after Benjamin Thomas’ come-from-behind triumph. A late crash couldn’t slow him down.

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07:09 PM BST

Men’s omnium final standings

1. Benjamin Thomas (France) 164 points

2. Iuri Leitao (Portugal) 153

3. Fabio van den Bossche (Belgium) 131

4. Albert Torres (Spain) 127

5. Aaron Gate (New Zealand) 123

6. Kazushige Kuboki (Japan) 113

7. Tim Torn Teutenberg (Germany) 98

8. Ethan Hayter (Great Britain) 97

9. Elia Viviani (Italy) 97

10. Niklas Larsen (Denmark) 84

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07:06 PM BST

Ethan Hayter (Team GB) in eighth

That elimination race masterclass promised much, but the points race was an event too far for Hayter. He was tracked when he attacked, but he couldn’t have given more.

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07:05 PM BST

Silver for Iuri Leitao (Portugal)

Bronze for Fabio van den Bossche (Belgium).

Thomas is hugging his family. The back of his skinsuit is scuffed from his late crash. These images will probably be on the front cover of L’Equipe tomorrow.

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07:03 PM BST

The crowd are on their feet as Benjamin Thomas (France) wins omnium

Torres is doing all the work to try to take a lap. 20 points would win him bronze.

Thomas lends a hand, but Van den Bossche is pulling in the bunch to stop that from happening.

Thomas raises his arm to the crowd at fever pitch. Gold medal for him – despite a crash.

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07:02 PM BST

Thomas on the attack

It’s Torres, Leitao and Thomas in front. The whole bunch is patently knackered.

If Benjamin Thomas follows, he will win. All he has to do is track the Portuguese and not lose his wheel.

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07:01 PM BST

Ninth sprint of ten in points race, omnium finale

“Benjamin! Benjamin!” shout the crowd. Sounds a lot better and melodic in French.

Thomas shoots to the front for the penultimate sprint and he takes first. Gate in second.

Now, it’s Thomas 158, Leitao 149, Van den Bossche 131, Gate 121, Torres 117.

Eight laps to go, 4km

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06:59 PM BST

Hayter attacks!

He’s going for a lap, but Torres (Spain) and several others are chasing him down.

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06:59 PM BST

Eighth sprint of ten: Hayter second

GB’s Ethan Hayter takes three points, but he’s not in the shake-up for the medals anymore. In provisional eighth place.

Two more sprints to go. And the last one has double points (ten, six, four, two). It’s going all the way to the last one.

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06:58 PM BST

Crash for Thomas!

He hits the deck and the velodrome fans find their voice. Seemingy, he touched a wheel. Aaron Gate (New Zealand) had his hand out in apology.

He’s allowed five laps out to regain the bunch. Can he still win gold despite this drama?

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06:57 PM BST

Seventh sprint of ten: Leitao and Thomas take a lap

20 more points for these two, joining a breakaway who took a lap. Looking like a two-horse race now. Torres and Gate are chasing the podium places hard, gaining a lap.

Hayter provisional ninth place overall,

1. Benjamin Thomas (France) 153

2. Iuri Leitao (Portugal) 149

3. Fabio van den Bossche (Belgium) 129

4. Aaron Gate (New Zealand) 118

5. Albert Torres (Spain) 117

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06:54 PM BST

Sixth sprint of ten: Thomas (France) wins and moves into lead

Benjamin Thomas (France) takes all five points – he’s now four up on Fabio van den Bossche (Belgium) and Iuri Leitao (Portugal). All to play for on the Olympic podium.

Hayter is 39 points down on Thomas provisionally overall and isn’t showing himsef in attacks. Perhaps he’s a little tired from his efforts in the team pursit.

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06:51 PM BST

Bunch together for fifth sprint, Leitao wins it

Sixth in the standings provisionally, Hayter takes a solitary point at the halfway stage. 50 laps (12.5km to go). He needs to take a lap to stand a chance of having a medal. It’s looking like too little, too late.

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06:49 PM BST

Albert Torres (Spain) wins fourth sprint, 52 laps left

He’s tiring, but out there on his own and takes a lap and 20 precious points. Hayter is knocked down to provisional sixth.

Omnium standings after sprint 4/10 in points race

1. Fabio van den Bossche (Belgium) 129 points

2. Benjamin Thomas (France) 125

3. Iuri Leitao (Portugal) 122

4. Tim Torn Teutenberg (Germany) 96

5. Albert Torres (Spain) 95

6. Ethan Hayter (Great Britain) 93

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06:45 PM BST

Quintet gain a lap

Van den Bossche, Thomas, Gate, Leitao and Kazushige have broken away, and within eight laps, they take a lap.

20 points for them all. Van den Bossche still leads Thomas, with Leitao in bronze medal position now.

Ethan Hayter needs to hit back and do the same to get back in contention.

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06:42 PM BST

Benamin Thomas wins second sprint of ten

The French favourite is on a tear. Third for Hayter and that moves him up into joint-fourth with Teutenberg.

Thomas is just three points down on leader Fabio van den Bossche (Belgium).

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06:41 PM BST

Hayter second in the opening sprint

He finishes behind Alan Banaszek (Poland) and takes three points. Handy start. Moving one point away from fourth and three points down on third…

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06:39 PM BST

Points race palaver

We’re into calculations on the back of a fag packet territory. Simultaneously working out who’s leading the race and the ramifications that will have on the overall omnium standings.

Taking a lap is a primary tactic here. If a contender can earn 20 points by doing that, everything changes. It’s down to timing, getting help from a rival and freshness after this insane schedule. (They’ve already had three races in the last two hours!)

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06:36 PM BST

Points race finale as Hayter goes for omnium gold

That one may be played out later.

For now, it’s the fourth and final omnium event: the points race in this breathless, relentless schedule. Any would-be gold medallist has to nail this event because it’s the decider and accumulated fatigue will play a big part. In this frenetic race, the whole competition can be transformed.

Covering 25km for men and 20km for women, there is a sprint every ten laps (ie. every 4km), with five, three, two and one points available for the first four riders over the line. The final sprint then sees ten, six, four and two points available.

Riders can gain 20 points for taking a lap, but will lose 20 if they themselves are lapped. The overall omnium winner is decided by the highest points totals after the points race.

A reminder of how things stand. Hayter will need to be at his best, but gold is not out of the equation.

Men’s omnium standings after three races

1. Fabio van den Bossche (Belgium) 106 points

2. Benjamin Thomas (France) 96

3. Iuri Leitao (Portugal) 94

4. Tim Torn Teutenberg (Germany) 92

5. Ethan Hayter (Great Britain) 88

6. Niklas Larsen (Denmark) 78

7. Elia Viviani (Italy) 78

8. Albert Torres (Spain) 70

9. Aaron Gate (New Zealand) 70

10. Kazushige Kaboki (Japan) 66

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06:33 PM BST

Ota waves goodbye, but commissaires are reviewing this one…

The TV replay showed Carlin straying above the red line for a few moments. Surely there won’t be another relegation here?

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06:31 PM BST

Carlin nicks it on the line – he’s in the semi-finals

Jack Carlin is through to the semi-finals, he’ll have a shot at a medal. Jason Kenny smiles and claps his hands.

He seemed to slow going into the final lap, but as his rival came alongside him on the outside, Carlin had just enough strength and staying power. That was neck-and-neck for the final 250 metres.

However, he moved outside the sprinter’s zone briefly, so let’s see if there’s any Japanese protest or drama…

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06:29 PM BST

Ota and Carlin, round three

Both Carlin and Ota have had to re-compose themselves and get in the zone for this unexpected third race in the heat. Again, the winner of this decide will join Lavreysen, Richardson and Hoogland in tomorrow’s sprint semi-finals.

Will there be more elbows and argy-bargy? Ota starts this one off in front and Carlin comes through as he slows.

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06:28 PM BST

Hoogland wins, GB’s Turnbull eliminated

He used all his experience there, leading from the front and pinning Turnbull up high on the bankings. Hoogland was always calling the shots there and the Briton had no answers to his strength.

No shame in losing to the Dutchman for Turnbull, who knocked out third-quickest qualifier Mikhail Yakovlev (Israel) yesterday. He’s got a team sprint silver medallist in his hand luggage already too.

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06:25 PM BST

Turnbull goes in sprint quarter-final decider against Hoogland

Not clear officially why Ota was relegated. He used his head to move Carlin away and gave him a few elbows. That’s borderline legal.

Now, it’s Hamish Turnbull against Jeffrey Hoogland. Winner stays on and moves into the semi-final. Hoogland leads them off with his massive gear.

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06:23 PM BST

Ota relegated – Carlin has another chance!

Jack Carlin rode through the mixed zone with a look of devastation after losing that heat, threw his bike against the barriers next to the rollers, trudged into his pits and slumped into his chair, head in his hands… only to hear the announcer say that Ota had been relegated!

The Scotsman was quickly back on his feet and is now warming up on said bike on the rollers with Jason Kenny alongside him giving him a bit of advice.

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06:22 PM BST

Women’s keirin final – results

1. Ellesse Andrews (New Zealand)

2. Hetty van de Wouw (Netherlands) +0.062sec

3. Emma Finucane (Great Britain) +0.092sec

4. Katy Marchant (Great Britain) +0.181sec

5. Emma Hinze (Germany) +0.280sec

6. Daniela Gaixola (Mexico) +0.457sec

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06:19 PM BST

Bronze for Finucane as Ellesse Andrews (New Zealand) wins

World champion Andrews now has a gold medal for her collection. Hetty van de Wouw (Netherlands) takes silver.

She won that the hard way, holding the box seat position in the lead for the last couple of laps. Finucane did her level best to come over the top of her, but she didn’t have enough power and faded slightly in the last 50 metres. Still, a bronze medal is an excellent result for the 21-year-old. She will go for more silverware in the sprint.

Fourth place for GB’s Katy Marchant, painfully just off the podium.

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06:16 PM BST

One lap to go

Finucane makes an early charge to come round Andrews.

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06:16 PM BST

The derny motorbike pulls off

Three laps to go. They fight for position, as Gaixola at the front. Marchant and Finucane forced wide.

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06:15 PM BST

Marchant all smiles on the start line

The motorbike rolls around. Lots have been drawn to decide start positions, and Ellesse Andrews accordingly moves into first place. Marchant is in fourth, Finucane in sixth at the back as they slowly get up to speed.

Five 250-metre laps to go, they will fly by…

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06:14 PM BST

In case you’re surprised by the bloke on the motorbike: what is the keirin?

The keirin is a six-lap track race that today will feature six riders, however there will be seven bikes out on the cedar wood boards of the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines Velodrome. The seventh is not pedal-powered but instead an electric bike, otherwise known as a derny bike.

Favoured by strong sprinters, competitors require cunning and bravery once the fast-paced race reaches its climatic conclusion.

The derny starts the race with riders sitting in its slipstream as it gradually winds up the pace. Starting at 30kph, the vehicle gradually speeds up to 50kph before, after reaching the pursuit line on the home straight and with three laps remaining, it peels off the track.

No rider must pass the derny until it has left the track at which point they are free to duel it out. The first three riders over the line take the medals.

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06:13 PM BST

Finucane and Marchant go for gold in women’s keirin final

After Lea Friederich (Germany) beats Gros to take seventh, it’s time for the big one.

Emma Finucane and Katy Marchant already have team sprint gold. This is a chance to take a second. They’re up against Emma Hinze (Germany), Daniela Gaixola (Mexico), Hetty van de Wouw (Netherlands) and Ellesse Andrews (New Zealand). Nobody has got here by chance, they’ve all got the power, the poise and the tactical nous.

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06:10 PM BST

Women’s keirin final in 5 minutes, featuring Emma Finucane and Katy Marchant (GB)

It’s the seventh to twelfth place final on now. It’s not the race she wanted to be in, Mathilde Gros (France) will be hoping to salvage something in front of the French fans.

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06:08 PM BST

Ota pips Carlin

Well, he had the speed. Carlin tried to make it a slow, slugfest and the pair went elbow to elbow on the back straight. In the last five metres, he got his wheel ahead and narrowly sees off the Briton.

Jack Carlin, the sprint bronze medallist in Tokyo, is eliminated. The Team GB rider will go in the 5th to 8th place finals this evening.

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06:05 PM BST

Jack Carlin must win to stay in the men’s sprint

The Scotsman lost the first heat to Kaiya Ota (Japan). He leads off the second race of their heat, knowing that any mistakes could be fatal to his sprint campaign.

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06:03 PM BST

Turnbull loses in photo finish

Oof, only +0.007 seconds in it. That’ll go down to the wire and a third and final race to decide who progresses.

Hoogland surprised him by taking the lead with two laps to go and made it a fast race early doors. Turnbull just ran out of road.

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06:02 PM BST

Lavreysen and Richardson into men’s sprint semi-finals

Harrie Lavreysen (Netherlands) and Matthew Richardson (Australia) beat Rudyk and Obara.

The Pole came a bit closer to the Dutch favourite, but had no answer to his turn of speed. Richardson’s progress was even more serene, breezing past Obara with the insouciant ease of a London commuter on an expensive bike going past someone pootling to the shops.

Next up: Hamish Turnbull of Great Britain against team sprint gold medallist Jeffrey Hoogland. If he can win this heat, he’ll be in the semi-finals and have sent the Tokyo silver medallist home.

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05:57 PM BST

Men’s omnium elimination race standings

1. Ethan Hayter (Great Britain)

2. Elia Viviani (Italy)

3. Benjamin Thomas (France)

4. Tim Torn Teutenberg (Germany)

5. Sam Welsford (Australia)

6. Fabio van den Bossche (Belgium)

7. Iuri Leitao (Portugal)

8. Fernando Gaviria (Colombia)

9. Alan Banaszek (Poland)

10. Kazushige Kaboki (Japan)

Men’s omnium standings after three races

1. Fabio van den Bossche (Belgium) 106 points

2. Benjamin Thomas (France) 96

3. Iuri Leitao (Portugal) 94

4. Tim Torn Teutenberg (Germany) 92

5. Ethan Hayter (Great Britain) 88

6. Niklas Larsen (Denmark) 78

7. Elia Viviani (Italy) 78

8. Albert Torres (Spain) 70

9. Aaron Gate (New Zealand) 70

10. Kazushige Kaboki (Japan) 66

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05:52 PM BST

GB’s Ethan Hayter wins omnium elimination race

He is right back in contention, surging up the standings. He sprints ahead of Elia Viviani (Italy) and puts a fist up to the crowd.

Hayter strong-armed that race, riding it from the front. Seasoned, seamless elimination race display there.

Fabio van den Bossche (Belgium) remains leader of the omnium with 106 points, but Hayter is well in touch with 88.

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05:50 PM BST

Teutenberg (Germany) eliminated

He remonstrates at that, complaining about Elia Viviani (Italy) coming down the track on him.

Viviani, Thomas and Hayter left… now two. Thomas is gone.

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05:49 PM BST

Four men left, including Hayter

He’s on the front. Sam Welsford (Australia) doesn’t have anything left and finishes fifth.

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05:48 PM BST

Benjamin Thomas (France) eliminated

The omnium contender is announced as gone… but then it’s reversed. He sprints back into contention and then stays ahead of the next contender in the sprint. Strange.

Iuri Leitao (Portugal) is gone next and waves his hand, remonstrating with that decision. Not clear officiating there.

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05:46 PM BST

Eight riders left

Pre-race favourite Aaron Gate (New Zealand) is gone and Sam Welsford (Australia) looks tired.

Hayter still on the front, giving an elimination race masterclass.

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05:45 PM BST

Hayter is riding this expertly

The south Londoner is sat on the front, setting the pace and staying out of trouble. Evidently, he has saved his best for the last two events and is set to move up from his tenth position in the standings if he keeps this up.

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05:44 PM BST

Larsen (Denmark) and Vogel (Switzerland) are eliminated early

That’s a surprise, with the Dane sitting second overall and Vogel sixth. Good news for Ethan Hayter.

Ten riders gone, twelve remaining.

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05:42 PM BST

Quietly-impressive Marchant packs a keirin threat

If Emma Finucane wins gold later on, she will thank her lucky stars she made it through that semi. Just 0.004sec separated her from a place in the 7-12 final following that last-lap touch of wheels.

Katy Marchant joins her in the final with a very professional display. She has been quietly impressive. Her P1 starts in the team sprint the other day were the best of her career. Remember, she is 31 and mother to a two-year-old.

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05:41 PM BST

The eliminations start

No elimination in the second sprint as the judges can’t discern who was last, it was so close. Or the third sprint.

Four riders have gone so far. No danger for Ethan Hayter, riding in the front in his fluorescent yellow helmet. That’s how to do it.

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05:37 PM BST

Time for the elimination race in men’s omnium

The third of the four events is a real crowd pleaser.

It tests a rider’s attrition, guile, positioning and nerve, with the action all happening at the back of the pack.

Every second lap, the last rider to cross the finish line is eliminated. For each sprint survived, a rider gains two points. It culminates when there are two riders remaining, and they sprint it out. Two-time omnium gold medallist Laura Kenny was a dab hand at this discipline. Hayter needs a sterling one to move closer in contention.

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05:35 PM BST

Keirin semi-final results – first three qualify for final

Heat 1

1. Ellesse Andrews (New Zealand)

2. Daniela Gaixola (Mexico) +0.104sec

3. Emma Finucane (Great Britain) +0.157sec

4. Steffie van der Peet (Netherlands) +0.161sec

5. Rebecca Petch (New Zealand) +0.648sec

6. Lea Friederich (Germany) +2.750sec

Heat 2

1. Hetty van de Wouw (Netherlands)

2. Katy Marchant (Great Britain) +0.056sec

3. Emma Hinze (Germany) +0.101sec

4. Nicky Degrendele (Belgium) +0.114sec

5. Mathilde Gros (France) +0.301sec

6. Riyu Ohta (Japan) +0.592sec

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05:31 PM BST

Marchant through to final in second

Katy Marchant rides to second and there will be two Team GB sprinters in the final, as she joins Emma Finucane. She found space on the last lap to hit the gas and followed Hetty van de Wouw (Netherlands) over the line.

French star Mathilde Gros is off the pace and can only manage fifth.

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05:29 PM BST

Marchant starts off at the front

They draw lots to decide initial position. She is behind the motorbike, but Gros takes that position. Two laps to go, as Hinze (Germany) moves to the front.

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05:27 PM BST

Katy Marchant goes in second semi-final

Mathilde Gros (France) is the woman to beat, with Emma Hinze (Germany) packing a lot of power. Marchant will need to use all her years of experience to finish in the top three and join Finucane.

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05:26 PM BST

Finucane qualifies for keirin final in photo finish

Friedrich had a nightmare, touching wheels with van der Peet on the last lap and losing all momentum. She did well to hold it up, but that’s a shck.

Finucane had to come the long way round and Van der Peet pushed her close in the home straight. Ellesse Andrews (New Zealand) won over Gaixola, but the Briton makes it in a photo finish.

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05:23 PM BST

Tough test for Finucane

Ellesse Andrews (New Zealand) is a world champion, while Lea Friedrich (Germany) is decorated too. Finuance is near the back as the motorbike swings off…

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05:22 PM BST

Emma Finucane (Team GB) goes in the keirin semi-final

Heat one. It’s all contenders left now. Only three to go through.

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05:21 PM BST

Ota beats Carlin

Ota took it on from the front and arguably rode a little high on the sprinter’s line when Carlin was poised to pass. They seemed to touch elbows and that took the GB man a little wide.

He’ll have to win the last two heats to go through to the semi-finals.

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05:18 PM BST

Jack Carlin’s turn now in the fourth heat

Kaiya Ota (Japan) is his opponent. They stare at each other on the start line before rolling away. Well, as much as you can when you’re wearing visors.

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05:16 PM BST

Turnbull takes it

The Union flags get a good shake in the stands, as the Olympic debutant timed his charge to perfection. He was coming with a little more speed off the banking. It’s best of three, but that’s a fine start.

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05:15 PM BST

Hamish Turnbull on track against Hoogland in third heat

Jeffrey Hoogland qualified sixth fastest, Turnbull seventh, almost nothing between them. The orange-clad Dutchman goes to the front, not taking his eyes off the Morpeth sprinter.

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05:14 PM BST

Matthew Richardson (Australia) goes one up against Obara

He swooped down the banking, locked onto Yuta Obara (Japan), and shot past him before the final bend. Made that look easy.

Richardson and Lavreysen are the leading sprinters who GB sprinters Carlin and Turnbull will probably have to beat if they want to go for gold.

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05:12 PM BST

Men’s sprint quarter-final time

There are four heats in a best-of-three format. Win two in a row against your adversary and you’re through to the semi-final.

Hamish Turnbull (Great Britain) goes in heat three against Jeffrey Hoogland (Netherlands), with compatriot Jack Carlin facing Kaiya Ota in the fourth and final one.

Pre-race favourite Harrie Lavreysen (Netherlands) just gave a sprint demonstration in his heat, easily seeing off Poland’s Mateusz Rudyk. So much power, he’ll take some beating.

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05:09 PM BST

Fabio van den Bossche (Belgium) wins tempo race – standings

1. Fabio van den Bossche (Belgium) 31 points

2. Iuri Leitao (Portugal) 28 points

3. Tim Torn Teutenberg (Germany) 25 points

4. Alex Vogel (Switzerland) 23 points

5. Jan Vones (Czechia) 22 points

No points for Hayter who finishes twelfth. He moves down to tenth in the overall omnium standings, with two races to go. This is still anyone’s omnium, there’s time to surge up the standings, but he’ll need to have a strong elimination race next.

Omnium standings after two races

1. Fabio van den Bossche (Belgium) 76 points

2. Niklas Larsen (Denmark) 68

3. Iuri Leitao (Portugal) 66

4. Benjamin Thomas (France) 60

5. Tim Torn Teutenberg (Germany) 58

6. Alex Vogel (Switzerland) 54

7. Albert Torres (Spain) 54

8. Jan Willem van Schip (Netherlands) 50

9. Aaron Gate (New Zealand) 50

10. Ethan Hayter (Great Britain) 48

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05:03 PM BST

Tempo race tumult

The scoreboard is updating with glacial pace and there’s confusion on who’s winning; apparently, Czechia’s Jan Vones has taken two laps, but the commentators didn’t flag that and I didn’t see it.

In the final sprint, Viviani closes hard and takes it ahead of Ethan Hayter. He’ll be disappointed to not score a point, but his position will be decided by that last kick, so he ought to finish around 12th.

Hard to follow in the velodrome and on TV. Not exactly a dream spectator sport, the tempo race…

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05:01 PM BST

Hayter attacks

He’s trying to get away from the peloton, but Tim Torn Teutenberg (Germany) is ahead. There’s no control in the bunch, the attackers have free rein.

Team GB’s Hayter and contender Viviani (Italy) are yet to score a point, this could sink their gold medal hopes. Five laps to go.

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04:59 PM BST

Tempo race standings with 14 laps to go

Vones took a fast lap too. Only four riders have taken more than a point, with a handful on that single digit.

1. Fabio van den Bossche (Belgium) 27 points

2. Jan Vones (Czechia) 22 points

3. Iuri Leitao (Portugal) 5 points

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04:57 PM BST

With points scored on every single lap, this is hard to follow

Fabio van den Bossche (Belgium) takes a solo flyer and gains a lap. That gets him 20 points, he’s likely to win this particular event. Back in the bunch, there are more attacks flying. 20 laps to go.

No points for Ethan Hayter yet in this tempo race.

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04:54 PM BST

30 laps to go in tempo race

Yuri Leitao (Portugal) takes the first two points, with Benjamin Thomas (France) and Aaron Gate (New Zealand) joining him in a break and gaining one too.

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04:53 PM BST

Omnium watching makes you giddy

Watched the start of the omnium from the track centre, which is a very different experience from watching from the tribunes.

It’s quite dizzying as you have to keep spinning around, especially in a busy bunch race where riders are trying to steal laps. But you get a very different perspective of the riders’ speeds, positions and equipment. Plus it’s about 5C cooler.

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04:50 PM BST

Tempo race explainer

Right, time for the second race in the four-event omnium.

It’s the tempo race over 10km. From the fifth lap onwards, one point is awarded to the rider who crosses the finish line first every lap. Riders can gain a lap, earning 20 points, but if they are lapped by the bunch, they will lose 20.

Benjamin Thomas (France) currently leads after winning the omnium opener, the scratch race. He has 40 points overall, ahead of Niklas Larsen (Denmark) on 38. Ethan Hayter is positioned sixth on 30.

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04:47 PM BST

Women’s keirin quarter-final heat three results

1. Mathilde Gros (France)

2. Emma Hinze (Germany)

3. Katy Marchant (Great Britain)

4. Daniela Gaixola (Mexico)

5. Mina Sato (Japan)

6. Lauriane Genest (Canada)

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04:46 PM BST

Marchant qualifies in third

Gros took that up from a long way out and held off Hinze on the line. Marchant was boxed in coming into the last lap, but manoeuvred her way back into contention well. It opened up and she had the punch to take advantage.

Two GB contenders in the semi-final.

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04:43 PM BST

Katy Marchant (Team GB) goes in the third and final heat

She also took gold in the team sprint with Finucane, what can the 31-year-old do here? She’s up against home hero Mathilde Gros (France) and Emma Hinze (Germany).

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04:42 PM BST

Results from heat two of keirin quarter-final

1. Hetty van de Wouw (Netherlands)

2. Emma Finucane (Great Britain)

3. Rebecca Petch (New Zealand)

4. Riyu Ohta (Japan)

5. Yufang Guo (China)

6. Kelsey Mitchell (Canada)

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04:40 PM BST

Emma Finucane qualifies for semi-finals

Finucane started off in third position before the motorbike peels off. Hetty Van de Wouw (Netherlands) made an early move with three laps to go before Finucane took the lead and led it out from the front.

She looked strong, composed and controlled; Van de Wouw came past her in the last 30 metres, but that’s a straightforward qualification to the semi-finals. That’s all that mattered. They’ll be at 17:15 BST.

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04:37 PM BST

Finucane goes in heat two

As the track is cleaned carefully and made pristine, Emma Finucane had a wait to continue her keirin campaign in heat two of the quarter-final. Now the riders are on the track. She smiles at the camera before putting her helmet visor down.

Kelsey Mitchell (Canada) won the bronze in Tokyo, she will push the 21-year-old close. Rebecca Petch of New Zealand showed her strength in the team sprint too.

Four to go through to the semi-final, two miss out.

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04:34 PM BST

Aftermath of that nasty crash

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04:30 PM BST

Women’s keirin quarter-final heat 1 results – first four qualify

1. Lea Friedrich (Germany)

2. Ellesse Andrews (Australia)

3. Nicky Degrendele (Belgium)

4. Steffie van der Peet (Netherlands)

5. Liying Yuan (China)

6. Kristina Clonan (Australia)

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04:29 PM BST

Yuan walks off the track with help

All three crash victims are helped to their feet and are walking away from the fall, good to see. There’s a brief delay while quickfire repairs are made to the track, seemingly using insulating type, a hoover and a sander to repair any damage. Homeware store tactics, any port in a storm.

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04:27 PM BST

Crash after finish of the first heat

Los of bumping and barging, with Lea Friederich (Germany) staying out of trouble to lead it out to victory.

Fourth-placed Steffie van der Peet (Netherlands) went down first after knocking elbows with a rival, taking down Liying Yuan (China) and third-placed Nicky Degrendele (Belgium). Yuan and Kristina Clonan (Australia) finished in the bottom two spots, missing out on qualifying.

There’s carbon fibre everywhere, and the three riders are dazed. Hopefully, the trio are unscathed.

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04:25 PM BST

Women’s keirin quarter-finals

Three heats of six riders, with Emma Finuance (Team GB) going in he second one. The part motor-paced event is explained below:

The keirin is an eight-lap track race that today will feature six riders, however there will be seven bikes out on the cedar wood boards of the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines Velodrome. The seventh is not pedal-powered but instead an electric bike, otherwise known as a derny bike.

Favoured by strong sprinters, competitors require cunning and bravery once the fast-paced race reaches its climatic conclusion.

The derny starts the race with riders sitting in its slipstream as it gradually winds up the pace. Starting at 30kph, the vehicle gradually speeds up to 50kph before, after reaching the pursuit line on the home straight and with three laps remaining, it peels off the track.

No rider must pass the derny until it has left the track at which point they are free to duel it out with the first four riders from the heat progressing to the semi-finals.

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04:20 PM BST

Omnium scratch race results, three more omnium races to come

1. Benjamin Thomas (France)

2. Niklas Larsen (Denmark)

3. Fabio van den Bossche (Belgium)

4. Jan Willem van Schip (Netherlands)

5. Kazushige Kaboki (Japan) -1 lap

6. Ethan Hayter (Great Britain)

7. Iuri Leitao (Portugal)

8. Albert Torres (Spain)

9. Aaron Gate (New Zealand)

10. Tim Torn Teutenberg (Germany)

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04:18 PM BST

Hayter takes sixth in scratch race as Frenchman Thomas wins

Having been lapped, the best Hayter and the bunch could do was fifth place, and the GB man finished just behind Kazushige Kuboki (Japan) in the sprint. That’s a decent start.

It was all about that quartet who nabbed a lap. First, the results said Fabio van den Bossche (Belgium) had won, now the results say that Benjamin Thomas (France) is a (popular) winner.

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04:15 PM BST

8 laps to go

Road racing star Fernando Gaviria (Colombia) is being dropped; he’s at risk of being lapped and losing 20 points. That’s a turn up for the books.

We have four leaders closing on the bunch: Van den Bossche (Belgium), Thomas (France), Larsen (Denmark) and Van Schip (Netherlands). They’re about to take a lap. Into the last 2km.

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04:13 PM BST

15 laps left – Grant Koontz (USA) and Fabio van den Bossche (Belgium) off the front

These two are moving, with Albert Torres (Spain) in no man’s land. Ethan Hayter and Aaron Gate are in a little group off the front of the bunch, chasing them down.

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04:12 PM BST

20 laps to go in scratch race

We’re at the halfway point. Some riders will favour spending energy and breaking away, other fast finishers would prefer a sprint finish to use their speed. Several of the competitors will also be a little tired from the team pursuit heats and finals.

Benjamin Thomas (France) gives it a little dig, eliciting a few shouts from the French crowd.

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04:10 PM BST

Scratch race heating up

This is a simple one to follow: 40 laps, totalling 10km, winner takes all in a bunched race.

With 30 laps to go, an early breakaway bid from five riders is shut down. Elia Viviani (Italy) is following Ethan Hayter (Great Britain), watching him closely. Clearly, he’s the danger man.

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04:07 PM BST

The trois coups are given and racing is underway

There goes the symbolic banging of the stick, signifying the beginning of racing. I’ve spotted Ethan Hayter’s father Tim sitting in the stands, in a white t-shirt emblazoned with the words “Go Ethan”.

Hayter and his GB team-mates endured disappointment yesterday evening at the end of the team pursuit final as he slipped off the saddle while nipping at the heels of the Australian quartet.

“I gave too much,” he admitted later. “I literally tightened up, went deep, my arms went weak and I fell off. I couldn’t hold myself up on the bike anymore. I don’t know how I stayed up. I’m sorry to these guys. It’s the deepest I’ve gone in a while as you can see. But it’s a little embarrassing.”

No blame for Hayter, he gave his all. It would be a quick turnaround and sweet vengeance if he can take omnium gold.

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03:58 PM BST

Men’s omnium favourites

Ethan Hayter won on this very track at the World Championships in 2022, but the Team GB talent will face some formidable opponents.

Veteran track star Elia Viviani (Italy) won at Rio 2016 and took bronze in Tokyo, while Benjamin Thomas (France) is a perennial podium challenger and will have an extra spring in his pedal stroke from the home support.

Iuri Leitao (Portugal) is the reigning world champion and a youngster on the rise. Last but not least, Aaron Gate (New Zealand) is an experienced, canny campaigner with a host of top-level track medals won over the last decade.

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03:48 PM BST

What is the omnium?

The omnium race is a four-discipline event that is the closest thing track cycling has to athletics’ heptathlon or decathlon.

The four events that make up the omnium – which made its debut at the London 2012 Games at the expense of the individual pursuit, points race, and Madison races – are the scratch race, tempo race, elimination race and points race.

The competition is contested over one hectic single session, with the men’s event today and the women’s event on Sunday August 11. Ethan Hayter and Neah Evans are set to contend for Team GB.

For the first three events, 40 points are awarded to the winner, 38 for second, 36 for third, and so on through the field. So, it’s not necessarily about excelling in one race, but consistent results and fast recovery across the board.

The first event, the scratch race, is the most straightforward. Contested over 10km for men and 7.5km for women, the competitors start together and the first rider over the line wins the race. It’s rather like a road race, only it’s taking place in a sweltering velodrome and the bikes have no brakes.

Next up is the tempo race, over those same distances. From the fifth lap onwards, one point is awarded to the rider who crosses the finish line first every lap. (Riders can gain a lap, earning 20 points, but if they are lapped by the bunch, they will lose 20.)

Third up is the elimination race, also known as devil take the hindmost. It tests a rider’s attrition, guile, positioning and nerve, with the action all happening at the back of the pack.

Every second lap, the last rider to cross the finish line is eliminated until there are two remaining, and they sprint it out. Two-time omnium gold medallist Laura Kenny was a dab hand at this discipline.

Lastly and most importantly, we have the points race. Any would-be gold medallist has to nail this event because it’s the decider and accumulated fatigue will play a big part. In this frenetic race, the whole competition can be transformed.

Covering 25km for men and 20km for women, there is a sprint every ten laps (ie. every 4km), with five, three, two and one points available for the first four riders over the line. The final sprint sees ten, six, four and two points available.

Like the tempo race, riders can gain 20 points for taking a lap, but will lose 20 if they themselves are lapped.

The overall omnium winner is decided by the highest points totals after the points race.

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03:42 PM BST

Busy evening in the velodrome ahead

It’s a hectic schedule at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines National Velodrome tonight.

Ethan Hayter goes for Team GB in the men’s omnium (four events in the space of three hours), seeking to go one better than the silver medal he won in yesterday’s team pursuit.

Rising star Emma Finucane will be aiming to take her second gold medal of Paris 2024 in the fast, frenetic keirin, while the men’s sprint action gets down to the closing stages for Jack Carlin and Hamish Turnbull.

• Men’s omnium: scratch race (16:00 BST)

• Women’s keirin, quarter-finals (16:18)

• Men’s omnium: tempo race (16:38)

• Men’s sprint: quarter-finals (17:01)

• Women’s keirin: semi-finals (17:15)

• Men’s omnium: elimination race (17:25)

• Women’s keirin: finals (18:01)

• Men’s omnium: points race (18:27)

• Men’s sprint: final for 5th to 8th places (19:04)

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