Road Race - Bronzini does it again

Saturday 24 Sept 140km (10 laps)

Race Writeup

Giorgia Bronzini (ITA) crossed the line to win her second World road race title in  two years. Marianne Vos (NED) wins her 6th Silver medal and Ina-Yoko Teutenberg rode in for Bronze.

Despite all the efforts from the Dutch women to bring the gold to Vos, Bronzini found the gap and crossed the line first. Vos was obviously very disappointed. After crossing the finish line she slammed her hands down on her bars. 

Lap1 was relatively fast with the bunch sitting across the road. With 8.5km completed the bunch were all together led by Hausler (Ger). Olga Zabelinskaya was on front for Russia as the bunch approaches the end of the first lap. The first lap  was completed in 20 minutes 42 seconds. Over the top of the climb the pace was high with South African on front with Vos in fourth wheel.

German team watching every move on front but Arndt (GER) was sitting a the back At the end of lap 2 the bunch is still intact. The Italian Alessandra D Éttorre was on the front. After 31.2km the bunch was led by Pooley again but the major teams were watching. The USA moved Robin Farina to the front set the pace. The women were lapping at 35.4km/hr for the first three laps.

45.2km, Emma Pooley decided to try to shake things up by setting a fast pace up the short climb. She was closely watched by Hausler (GER). Pooley tried to attack again. This time it was covered by Jessie Maclean Australia. Zabelinskaya on front again but she is being watched by Vicki Whitelaw (AUS). 

At the end of lap 4, Belarus led bunch across the line. With 59.2km completed,  Sweden were on the front with Sara Mustonen. She was being watched by Shara Gillow Australia.

With 74.1km of racing completed the peloton was all together. The pace was high and being set up Zabelinskaya again and Evelyn Stevens (USA).

After 75km Zabelinskaya was on front again with Amanda Spratt (AUS) on her wheel. The bunch stayed tight as they crossed the finish line to start 4 laps to go. 

After 87.2km of racing, Linda Villumson (NZL) was at the front with Sarah Duester (GER). 

With three laps to go the Russians were on the front setting the pace. Charlotte Becker (GER) has moved to the front to control the pace with the Dutch. Half way round the lap, Clara Hughes (CAN) attacked and managed to gain 100m quickly. She held a 13 second gap. Australia Shara Gillow led the chase to Hughes. 

With 2 laps to go Hughes was holding a 37 second lead and she increased this to 44 seconds on the steepest part of the course. Charlotte Becker GER) gave chase and the gap started to come down to 31 seconds. Villumsen NZL chased hard to Hughes with Longo Borghini ITA. The gap to Hughes was down to 14 seconds. 

The bunch were a little disorganised and the gap to Hughes went out to 37 seconds. Vicki Whitelaw (AUS) gave chase and the gap went down to 25 seconds. Neben (USA) took on the chase but didn't get any support. 

With one lap to go Hughes held a a 37 second gap. The pace in the bunch was starting to lift, Hughes was holding a 43 second lead with 11.6km to go.

The Dutch team have moved to the front but the gap was out to 44 seconds. With 8.2km to go the gap was holding at 44 seconds.

With 6.5km to go the Dutch team were on the front bringing the gap down to 27 seconds.

In the end it was a bunch finish and out of the chase Giorgia Bronzini (ITA) crossed the line to win her second World road race title in  two years. Marianne Vos (NED) wins her 5th Silver medal and Ina-Yoko Teutenberg rode in for Bronze.

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Post Race Comments

Marianne Vos (NED) was noticeably very disappointed to be wearing another silver medal,  "Giorgia is a fantastic sprinter, she won in a great way. Of course you think back about whether you made a mistake in the sprint, but I didn’t. She was the best," said Vos.

Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (GER)  won her first medal at senior level, having won gold as a junior, "This is my first podium, well it is the first time that I even finish a World Championship! I came to win but was not strong enough, that is quite clear. Maybe I started the sprint a little bit early, but these two girls were several bike lengths ahead of me. I am disappointed that I did not get the jersey, but I am still happy with my medal. The team looked after me the whole day, just as the other teams also did for their captains. In the end of the race we tried to confuse the Dutch train in the end and to get Marianne Vos out in the wind, as she has been unbeatable all year," said Teutenberg

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Results - 

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