2011 UCI Road World Championships - Elite Women Road
Race & Photos
Italian Giorgio Bronzini wins back to back World Road
Championships as the race comes down to a mass sprint finish...
19 -25 September 2011
All the action of the women's 140 kilometer world Road Race would be
compressed into the final three laps with several unsuccessful solo attacks that
went no where; an over 30 km solo flyer that ended with 5 km to go and a photo
finish of the mass sprint that would decide the winner.
Bronzini nips Vos on the line.
Photo © 2011 Fotoreporter
Sirotti
Italian Giorgio Bronzini nipped The Netherland's Marianne Vos by less than
half a wheel to take her second consecutive gold medal and rainbow jersey. The
very fast Ina Teutenberg of Germany took an uncharacteristic third to claim the
bronze medal at a bike length on the uphill sprint in Rudersdal, Denmark.
Great Britain's Nicole Cooke led the peloton of sixty riders to take 4th as
she did last year; and Julia Martisova of Russia filled out the top 5 honor
roll.
For a visibly frustrated Marianne Vos it was her fifth consecutive silver
medal, a record for the event. Now 5 silver medals is proof of strength, speed
and consistency; all good; but one Vos would have quickly traded for a gold
medal today.
After Race Press conference comments..
Gold medal winner, Giorgia Bronzini surpised...
I am a little surprised with this win as early on in the race I did not believe
that it would end in a sprint. With three laps to go we sent a team mate to make
the race hard and in the end I asked my team mate Monia Baccaille to open a hard
and early sprint for me.
Giorgio celebrates her second consecutive World's victory.
Photo © 2011 Fotoreporter
Sirotti
We were never really worried about Clara Hughes’ break away on the last laps,
as I knew that the other teams also were interested in a sprint and that we
would bring her back ultimately.
This second World Championship win is certainly the one that feels the best.
Last year’s win was such a big surprise: I had started with no pressure and was
working for the others early in the race. I was “just” the sprinter if it came
down to that. This time around there was much more pressure, the whole team was
working for me so I really had to deliver.
Silver medalist, Marianne Vos, on the finish...
Was a perfect race for us, we knew it was going to be fast and hard to get away,
we tried to stay in front with the whole team and stay prepared for a sprint.
They placed me perfectly with 150 meters to go but I waited a little and that
was a big mistake. I do not know if I was stronger than Giorgia, but one thing
is certain: she was better than me.
Bronze medalist Ina-Yoko Teutenberg on her first
World's podium...
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.
The race was not without suspense as commentators around the world tried to
explain why the peloton was still together after 105 kilometers looking more
like a club ride than a bike fight.... the main debate being why the
attempts hadn't happened yet and when they did they had less conviction and
commitment than Charlie Harper of the TV sitcom Two and a Half Men
considering a long term relationship. Attacks came and went but none could stick
or would...
Emma Pooley attacks early in the race
Photo © 2011
Bart Hazen
Those few attacks that got an advantage found little help or others that shared their
vision of outfoxing the sprinters to the finish... or for that matter making it
hard for the sprinters or thinning the herd for the finish.... it then
became a guessing game for the commentators trying to predict when such a revelation might
occur. Actually there seemed to be more action at the back of the race as riders
freaked waiting for wheel changes; no problem though the peloton was going no
where fast and most would easily make it back on with out too much effort during
most of the race.
The parcours, determines tactics and it was clear that most teams expected the
race to come down to a sprint and were willing to wait it out... well except for
some. Italy's Noemi Cantele tested the peloton's legs and the chase split the
peloton but nothing came of it.
The bunch led by Australia, Sweden and Germany
Photo © 2011
Bart Hazen
Hats off to Amber Neben who attacked thrice each time small accelerations out
of the peloton pacing her... each time she would look back to anyone would like
to join her... sigh and a yawn, there were none.
Clara Hughes of Canada you could say saved the day attacking with about 36 km
to go... Clara opened a maximum gap of 45 seconds over the next two and a
half laps. With 1.5 laps to go Germany's Charlotte Becker attacked and opened a
gap but it was over almost as fast as it started.
Clara Hughes animated the last two laps with a determined escape.
Photo © 2011 Fotoreporter
Sirotti
Villumsen (New Zealand) gave it a stab to bridge to the Canadian... it was
too late and an Italian rider was sent out to hug her wheel. The chase for the
duo closed the gap to 38 seconds Hughes started the final 14 kilometer
lap.Hughes fought back, out of the saddle on the hill pushing the gap to 40
seconds.... there was no organized chase just Italians, Belgians and others
coming forward and pushing the pace.
Emma Johansson attacked, the resulting chase took the gap to Hughes to 27
seconds as the peloton stretched out briefly and then regrouped. Hughes pressed
on and opened the gap to 30 seconds.... this time the Italian team got to work
closing the gap. With 6 km to go
Hughes was in sight of the peloton with 17 seconds... she fought on committed to
her flight.
The courageous Canadian had 15 seconds with 4.5 km to go. The blood was in
the water now as the mob started fighting for positions for their sprint trains,
the orange of the Netherlands on the right, the Azzurri in the center, Germans
on the Italians wheels with Denmark and Great Britain moving up.
Hughes effort ended with about 4 km to go; kudos Clara! Immediately a Belgian
attacked up the right side of the road as Marianne Vos' team and the Italians
reacted and the peloton surged forward to the finish.
With 3 km to go the crash took out abut ten riders in the middle of the pack;
sadly for Villumsen and others it would put paid to their chances for a good
result.
Italy leads the chase for Clara Hughes
Photo © 2011
Bart Hazen
The Dutch team took the lead 4 orange clad riders racing in towards the final
reckoning on the climb to the finish on Goats Hill. up the hill orange riders on
the right, the blue of the Italian alongside with the Germans third.
200 meters to go one of the leading out Vos hit her limit, the pain on her
face and was almost palpable as she ran out of gas and faltered. Vos had to come around the
rider on the right and start her sprint. Bronzini jumped to catch Vos... she
slowly closed the gap.... coming along side Vos, the
Italian and Dutch riders matched each other pedal for pedal to the finish with
Vos having the edge, outdistancing their rivals.
In the final meter Bronzini edged past Vos to take the win by less than an
inch to repeat
her win of 2010.
Over the line Bronzini celebrated. Vos pounded her handlebars with both
fists in frustration that even another silver medal could not make right;
knowing she missed her target for the fifth time by the smallest margin.
Teutenberg followed in the two riders wake to take bronze.
Agony and Ecstasy. Vos reacts to being nipped on the line by an inch as Bronzini
celebrates.
Photo © 2011 Fotoreporter
Sirotti
Marianne Vos can console herself with her collection of world and national
championships jerseys and gold medals on track, cyclocross, World Cup and her
2006 rainbow jersey for the road race in 2006 until next year in Limburg where
she will have another chance to win her second road championship.
Tomorrow the final race with the Elite Men over 266 kilometers.... will it
end in a mass sprint as both of today's races did? Or will an elite group of
survivors arrive at the finish to decide the result? If so they will have to
make the race hard on the sprinters early to eliminate them before the
finale in the closing 5 laps of the race. Its an uphill finish but not the steep
or long as climbs that favor Philippe Gilbert and others who can explode up the
climb leaving the sprint specialists behind... it should be a battle to keep it
together for a mass sprint finish; not a given. We could see a much different
race than those we saw today and yesterday.
UCI Road World Championships
Elite Women R.R. Results
140 km - 3:21:28 - 41.694 km/h
1 1 Bronzini Giorgia Italy - 3:21:28
2 14 Vos Marianne The Netherlands - 0:00
3 21 Teutenberg Ina Germany - 0:00
4 32 Cooke Nicole Great Britain - 0:00
5 41 Martisova Julia Russia - 0:00
6 57 Hosking Chloe Australia - 0:00
7 30 Armitstead Elizabeth Great Britain - 0:00
8 52 Henrion Ludivine Belgium - 0:00
9 78 Leleivyte Rasa Lithuania - 0:00
10 69 Biannic Aude France - 0:00
11 38 Bubnenkova Svetlana Russia - 0:00
12 64 Numainville Joelle Canada - 0:00
13 108 Nöstvold Lise Norway - 0:00
14 24 Johansson Emma Sweden - 0:00
15 54 Verbeke Grace Belgium - 0:00
16 40 Kozonchuk Oxana Russia - 0:00
17 63 Kirchmann Leah Canada - 0:00
18 43 Cliff-Ryan Theresa United States of America - 0:00
19 101 Brzezna Paulina Poland - 0:00
20 23 Fahlin Emilia Sweden - 0:00
Complete
Elite Women's Race Results & Photos
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