Claudio Golinelli of Italy and France's Jeanne Longo became the first double gold-medal winners Saturday in the track racing finals of the World Cycling Championships.
Golinelli, who won the professional men's sprint last Wednesday, used team strategy to defend his Keirin race title, edging Patrick Da Rocha of France in 10.88 seconds at the Parc de la Tete d'Or velodrome in Lyon.The Keirin race is a motorcycle-paced event that ends with a 200-meter timed sprint that is not paced.
In a photo finish for second and third, De Rocha was awarded the silver medal over Masatoshi Sako of Japan.
Longo, victorious Friday for the third time in the women's individual pursuit, won the women's 30-kilometer points race Saturday night in 41:48.16 in the only other final held on the next-to-last day of the track cycling championships.
Barbara Ganz of Switzerland was second and Janie Eickhoff gave the United States its first medal, finishing third.
After maintaining an even pace for much of the final lap, Golinelli's teammate Vincenzo Ceci rode in front of the champion as the pack approached the back stretch of the 300-meter track.
But Golinelli, who will celebrate his fifth wedding anniversary Sunday, then broke from the field with 200 meters to go as Ceci opted to ride high on the banked track. Golinelli was victorious by nearly a wheel's length.
The two Italian riders held hands while riding past the grandstand to celebrate Golinelli's victory.
Longo purposely started at the back of the 18-rider women's field to avoid an early crash. But after a warning for irregular riding, the three-time Tour de France winner quickly worked her way to the front.
After a few laps she took the lead and remained among the leaders for most of the strategically raced 90 circuits.
In earlier semifinals, Czechoslovakia's Jiri Illek and Lubomir Hargas advanced to the men's 200-meter tandem final against France. Czechoslovakia won its first ride in 10.39 seconds and advanced when Italy was disqualified in the second ride.
France's Fabrice Colas and Frederic Mange advanced to the final with successive wins over West Germany in 10.49 seconds and 10.60 seconds.
In amateur points qualifying, Dan Frost of Denmark and Philippe Grivel of Switzerland earned top qualifying honors. Frost earned many of his points early in the 90-lap event and totaled 19 points while completing the 30 kilometers in 38:46.69. Grivel earned 23 points while finishing in 37:51.63 to win the second qualifying heat.
Amateur and professional points finals as well as the tandem final were scheduled for Sunday night in the final day of the seven-day track championships.
Road race competition begins Wednesday in Chambery with the women's 50-kilometer team time trial. The road championships conclude Aug. 27 with the professional men's 163-mile road race.