____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

UCI Road World Championships 2012

WCN quicklink >>   Team Time Trial   Team Time Trial Full  Individual Time Trial   Individual Time Trial Full    

                                   Junior Individual Time Trial    Junior Individual Time Trial Full  Junior Road Race   Junior Road Race Full

                                   Preview Road Race   Road Race   Road Race Full

Previous coverage of the World Championships  >>    2012   2011    2010   2009   2008    2007    2006    2005 

On this page >>  Write-up    

Road Race

Valkenburg, 128.8km

Preview Road Race

Marianne Vos (Netherlands) has to start as the favourite for the Valkenburg course. The Dutch rider knows the course well, having recently won the overall and final stage of the Brainwash Holland Ladies Tour with a blistering attack on the final climb of the Cauberg. The Dutch do have a number of cards to play, Anna van der Breggen , Lucinda Brand, Ellen van Dijk and Annemiek van Vleuten are all fit and strong. 

Vos will be looking to go one better in front of her home crown and repeat the result of Nicole Cooke (GRB) from 2008 when Cooke won both the Olympic Road race and the World Championship Road race. "World Championships in your own country are special, as I learnt at the cyclo-cross world championships in Zeddam (2006) an Hoogerhei (2009), both of which I won. I am focusing on fold in the road race. Since my first world title in salzburg in 2006, I have just missed out, but I know from experience that winning is easier said than done. The fact that I was usually second in the road races in the past few years was not own to motivation. However, the opportunity to win gold on home soil is an extra incentive. I am relying on the orange-clad fans along the route and I hope they will support me and the whole team on this important day. 

I am convinced that our strong team can turn the race to our advantage. We have enough quality to  so. We know the terrain and it suits us. The Limburg hills guarantee a challenging route and that creates a difficult but fair race. I have been investing in my climbing capacity in the past few years and my confidence on the limbs is increasing. Mind you, I have always performed well in Limburg. I could do those limbs blindfolded. I will therefore have no trouble motivating myself after the Olympic Games. The strongest will definitely win the road race, I really hope that it's my turn this year, " said Vos.

The Americans also have a strong team. Evelyn Stevens, who finished second to Vos in the Brainwash Tour already has two medals this week and will be looking to add a third. 

Italy who have a great tradition of preparing their riders well for World championship, come with a strong team. rising star Elisa Longo Borghini is a strong contender, especially given the uncertainty over 2011 World Road Champion Giorgia Bronzini (Italy). They have former World Champion Tatiana Guderzo and Noemi Cantele as back up possibilities. 

The Germans have a strong squad. Newly crowned World Time Trial champion, Judith Arndt leads a strong team that includes Trixi Worrak, Claudia Hausler, Ina-Yoko Teutenberg, Charlotte Becker, Romy Kasper and veteran Hanka Kupfernagel. 

Emma Johansson (Sweden) an never be discounted although she may struggle on the tough Cauberg if the attacks go fast. Jessie Daams (Belgium) rode well on this course recently and could challenge Vos. 

With Lizzie Armitstead returning back to the UK, the British team will need to look to Emma Pooley, Sharon Laws, Nikki Harris, Nicole Cooke and Katie Colcough to shake race up. 

The Australians will be pinning their hopes on the inform Tiffany Cromwell. With podium finishes in recent World Cup, Cromwell will be well supported by Shara Gillow, Gracie Elvin, Jessie Maclean, Rachel Neylan, Loren Rowney and Amanda Spratt.

Expect to see the attacks go on the Cauberg with two laps to go and on the final assent. The long climb and fast run to the finish should see a small group fighting out for the coveted jersey.

Back to Top

Start List

Want to contact WomensCycling.net? 

The WomensCycling.net email address is  NewsResults [at] Womenscycling.net

To contact the webmaster, the address is : Webmaster [at] Womenscycling.net

Type this address into the "To" line of a new email message in your email programme.  Replace  [at]  with  @

Back to Top

Copyright WomensCycling.net 2004 - 2012^©