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Rio 2016: Vogel revels in 'crazy' women's sprint win

Kristina Vogel revelled in her victory in the women's track cycling sprint at Rio 2016, which she achieved despite losing her seat.
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Kristina Vogel revelled in her victory in the women's track cycling sprint at Rio 2016, which she achieved despite crossing the line in the second race without a seat.

After claiming victory in the opening race of the final against Great Britain's Rebecca James, the German made sure there was no need for a decider by winning race two by just four thousandths of a second, losing her seat on the final stretch.

"I rode without a saddle - I rode without a saddle. Did you see it? It was crazy," an elated Vogel said.

"I had some problems with the bike before, and we tried to fix it, but obviously not enough. I had a problem with the seat post, and the saddle fell off.

"I have a special place in my home for a medal and a saddle."

Elaborating on her issues, she said: "We were having some trouble with the bike the past few days and, during the race, I could sense something was wrong.

"When I stood out of the pedals, I could feel the saddle was missing. I thought, what do I do now? It was difficult not to crash, and I had a bad feeling in the sprint.

"I did not know if it was enough to win, and I only realised I had won after seeing my coach and trainer jumping up and down in celebration."

James took home the silver medal, followed by compatriot Katy Merchant who secured bronze.

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