Northland's Emma Foy wins fourth women's B 3km individual pursuit world title

Northland's Emma Foy, left, and Hawkes Bay's Hannah van Kampen raise their arms in celebration after becoming world champions in the women's B three-kilometre individual pursuit. Photo / swpix.com

Northland's Emma Foy has continued her great form on the bike, winning two medals at the UCI Para Cycling Track World Championships in the Netherlands over the weekend.

Foy, from Dargaville, is a member of Whangārei's Marsden Wheelers club, and was in a new tandem pairing with fellow Rio 2016 Paralympian Hannah van Kampen. Together they showed unbeatable form to win gold and the world champion title in the fastest time recorded at sea level for the women's B 3km individual pursuit.

Foy, who has a visual impairment, was joined by van Kampen who acted as a sighted pilot for the race. This was the fourth time Foy had won this world title and worn the rainbow jersey having done so with sighted pilot Laura Thompson in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Despite constant delays before their race on Saturday, Foy and van Kampen came out with a strong start and produced some fast splits, continually increasing their lead throughout the race. The New Zealand tandem finished in a blistering time of 03:25.787 with Belgium taking silver and Great Britain earning bronze.

Emma Foy, right, and Hannah van Kampen stand proudly with their gold medals at the UCI Para Cycling Track World Championships in the Netherlands. Photo / swpix.com

The success didn't stop there as on the following day, the pair took home bronze in the women's B 1km time trial.

"Winning two medals here at the world championships has exceeded our expectations," Hawke's Bay rider van Kampen said.

"We came in definitely looking for a win in the individual pursuit but to come away with a bronze in the time trial is pretty awesome."

Foy echoed her teammate's comments and said they were more suited to the individual pursuit race.

"It is a race where you must be composed and ride to a schedule that we decide before the race, whereas the time trial is a chance to absolutely smash it and not have to think too hard really."

Foy said they will both return to New Zealand to plan the year ahead which would start off with re-entry into road cycling and endurance training to compete in the national Road Cycling Championships in May and a UCI Para Cycling Road World Cup later in the year.

Para cycling head performance coach Stu MacDonald said the riders did well to keep their composure after learning of the events in Christchurch on Friday.

He said pair's efforts in training was the reason they were now world champions.

"Emma and Hannah just keep getting faster and are currently riding times we have not seen a New Zealand tandem produce previously.

"With Emma returning to Para cycling less than 12 months ago after a break following the Rio 2016 Paralympics, this was an outstanding result."

The New Zealand Para Cycling team had one last day of racing in the competition before returning home on Wednesday, March 20.