Jennifer Valente (Blue Ridge, VA/Blue Ridge TWENTY24) won her first world title in the women's omnium on Friday at the UCI Track World Championships in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. A multiple gold medalist in team pursuit for the U.S., her victory in the omnium was her first individual title at a world championships, making her one of only a handful of athletes to win a double world title while also being an Olympic champion.

"Winning this event was my goal long before the Olympics. I achieved my Olympic dream before this competition, but this win has been in the back of my mind for a long time. I am very happy with this win," Valente said in a statement to USA Cycling immediately after her victory.

"It definitely means a lot. A team gold medal is special in a completely different way. All the team world titles I've won in the past have been with really special friends. But this is a completely different experience."

Valente has competed in two Olympic Games and won three medals for Team USA. In Rio, she won a silver medal in the team pursuit, in Tokyo she won a bronze in the same event, and in Tokyo she won gold in the omnium.

The 27-year-old from California shares four Team Pursuit world titles with her American teammates, but in an illustrious track career that began with a gold medal in the scratch race at the 2011 Junior World Championships, without an individual gold medal at the elite level World Championships.

She has finished in the top ranks at the Pan American Track Championships, the U.S. National Championships, and the World Cup Omnium, but until this week, she had failed to win the rainbow jersey.

In the scratch race, the first of four omnium endurance races at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines stadium, Valente held on for the last five laps to win the race. In the second event, the tempo race, he lost a lap to a group of five in the closing laps and finished sixth. Valente, however, came back and won the elimination race, the event in which he took the bronze medal on Thursday.

Tactics were tested in the final event, the points race. She marked Myke van der Duyn (NL), the eventual silver medalist, as they each sprinted to win the gold medal by nine points.

Asked about the Omnium format, Valente said it was a challenge because it rewards all-around performance.

"People have good races and bad races. The most consistent rider wins. Sometimes they win individual events, sometimes they don't. Sometimes they don't.

"There is no cruising in this race. There were a lot of tough battles. Many up-and-coming young racers. There were a lot of athletes ready to dig deep and run hard to be contenders for the win in the next race."

Valente continues to be a favorite in every track discipline. She won a total of three medals in France, the third being a bronze in the 100-lap points race, bringing her medal haul in this event to 17.

"That race was tough. It was the end of the week and everyone was looking for one last chance to get on the podium. First through ninth were separated by ten points, and for most of the race the point difference was unbelievable. It's nice to end the meet with another medal."