SANTIAGO, Oct 23 (Reuters) – Dutch master Harrie Lavreysen took his tally of world titles to a record-extending 18 as he produced a masterclass to win the keirin at the UCI Track World Championships on Thursday. The five-time Olympic champion has been almost unbeatable in track cycling's sprint disciplines for six years although the unpredictable keirin has arguably been his weaker discipline. But once he burst to the front with two laps remaining in Thursday's final there was simply no stopping him as he won his fourth world title in the discipline. Australia's Leigh Hoffman and Lavreysen's teammate Jeffrey Hoogland took the silver and bronze. It was the fourth gold medal of the championships for the powerful Dutch team with Lavreysen and Hoogland also part of the team sprint trio who triumphed over Britain on Wednesday. Ireland's Lara Gillespie stunned two-time Olympic champion Katie Archibald to win the women's elimination title. The 24-year-old won the European title earlier this year and took her first world title in what came down to a head-to-head over the final two laps with the more experienced Archibald. Archibald, whose Olympic golds came in team pursuit, led going into the final corner but could not hold off a surging Gillespie who powered to her first rainbow jersey. The bunch race was twice re-started after crashes. "It's really special and I'm so proud of my country and our small team here," she said. "It took focus and composure and I kept believing," the 24-year-old said. Belgium's Helene Hesters took the bronze medal. Denmark won the men's team pursuit for the third year in succession as the quartet of Tobias Hansen, Niklas Larsen, Frederik Madsen and Rasmus Pedersen outclassed Australia. Olympic champions Australia were never really in it as Denmark led from start to win the 4km race by three seconds. New Zealand beat the United States for bronze. There was a shock in the women's sprint as Britain's two-time defending champion Emma Finucane was disqualified from her quarter-final deciding heat against Iana Burlokova. Finucane won the first race in the best-of-three heat but Burlokova levelled and after a long wait for the completion of the elimination race. In the decider there was contact between the riders and Finucane was deemed at fault and relegated. (Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Stephen Coates)
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