"You get a bit more adrenaline than you had before" - Ethan Vernon survives crash to take Elimination World Championship title

Ethan Vernon took the second World Championship title of his career on Monday night in the Sir Chris Hoy velodrome, surviving a crash to take victory in the elimination race.

“The crash probably helped me, to be honest,” Vernon, who riders for Soudal - Quick-Step on the road, said post-race. “I ended up going down, landed on my side, a few cuts. Sometimes when you have a crash, you get a bit more adrenaline than you had before. It gave me time to reassess.”

Finishing third in the race last year, Vernon admits he hadn't prepared very much prior to this year's edition of the World Championships. “I jumped on my bunch bike for the first time since that race last year yesterday,” Vernon said. “Obviously it’s not an Olympic event, but it’s always nice to get the jersey, and the watch looks quite nice this year.”

Vernon had been hoping to make a Grand Tour debut later this month at the Vuelta a Espana, although with Remco Evenepoel now having turned his attention to defending his crown, the British, Soudal - Quick-Step is likely to kept waiting.