Road Worlds: Lucy Garner Wins Road Race

Defending Junior Women’s World Road Race Champion Lucy Garner has won the title for the second time

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Sprinting well clear of her rivals as she has done in junior and senior races alike this year, Lucy Garner, helped out by a strong team of Junior Women, was in such a class of her own in the sprint, no-one else is in the picture.

A day after her 18th birthday, Lucy screams with delight at winning the World title in Holland. PhotoSport International. uk usa asia.

With the GB girls doing their best to keep the race together, the final lap with the two big climbs to tackle, saw the race split and come together before a group of 19 riders sprinted it out with Lucy Garner winning easily and getting her hands in the air before the line.

Report
The Junior Women were competing over five laps of the 10 mile course including the Bemelerberg (900 meters, 7%) and Cauberg (1.5 km, 12%). Garner’s rivals knew she was a big danger in the sprint and the Belgian favourite Lotte Kopecky worked hard to break up the race as did the riders in the Polish, Italian and Australian teams.

The Aussies were very active early on and the field was already well reduced as a group of 17 approached the Cauberg for the first time but an easing saw many more riders chase hard to get back on and after two laps, the peloton was 58 strong.

The attacks continued to come and new Junior Women’s World Time Trial Champion Elinor Barker showed her strength by covering the moves for the GB team. More teams got involved in the digs off the front including the Russians but after three laps, the peloton was still over 50 strong.

Lucy on top of the world again, double Junior World RR Champion for Junior Women a day after her birthday … special, very special. Photo: PhotoSport International. uk usa asia.

The legs though were starting to hurt for many and on lap four the peloton was almost half the size as they crossed the finish line for the final time with Lucy Garner and Elinor Barker still together at the front of the race. The riders from Belgium and Russia continued to try to split the race but on the Cauberg with only a kilometre to go, the leaders were all together.

It was then that the Brits showed their cards as Elinor Barker led Lucy Garner out until the girl from the East Midlands chose her moment to give it full gas and no-one was able to get near her.

The only Junior woman to win back to back titles other than Nicole Cooke, Lucy said afterwards “I was nervous before the race, as always, but the course really suited me. We trained a lot in these surroundings to get ready for the hills. Especially the Cauberg, which I could take very well.”

“This win is a team-effort more than anything. The lead out Elinor (Barker) gave me was fantastic.”

“I’m definitely going to try and make it to the elite-ladies. It would be nice if Sky had a team for women. Women-cycling is more and more popular. You can see it right here in Valkenburg.”

Photo courtesy of the breakaway legend that is Jacky Durand on Twitter

Congratulations to Lucy and all the GB girls on a fine team effort!

Press Conference with Paul Burgoine

Double Junior Road Race Champion Lucy Garner said in her post race Press conference that, it was pretty much the perfect race and she received great support from World Junior Time Trail Champion Elinor Barker and the other girls in the team that are relatively inexperienced at this level, and the girls did a great job to bring her back to the bunch when she slipped a chain, in a chaotic race it was very difficult for them to get through as the bunch were spread all over the road.

When asked about another sprint win but on a hillier circuit if she had done any specific training Lucy said “Yes I have been aiming for this and have been concentrating on hill sprints and just completed a training camp. I quite enjoyed the final climb and I just love racing.

 Photo: PhotoSport International. uk usa asia.

Elinor and my team mates deserve twice as much praise as me for their efforts today. Elinor started the lead out for me with about a kilometre still remaining and held off all the other teams. I thought the Cauberg was going to be a lot harder”. adding that it was still tough with girls constantly pushing the pace right over the top.

Lucy spoke of moving to Europe to further her career but was very grateful to the GB team for all their help throughout her career so far.

When asked about her future plans she said “I would like to be racing in Europe. I have finished college now so I can now focus on my racing, and just carry on enjoying my cycling. It would be impossible to continue racing in the UK because there are no UCI registered teams which is a shame because there is a lot of talented girls racing and I think that is what we have got to do now”.

When it was mentioned it might be worth giving Bradley Wiggins a call about a women’s team Lucy remarked that would be amazing as we just have so many talented girls in the GB team at the moment but we will just have to wait and see. Lucy said “There was a time in Great Britain when cycling was not very cool but now everyone is watching so things are improving”.

 Photo: PhotoSport International. uk usa asia.

 Photo: PhotoSport International. uk usa asia.

 Photo: PhotoSport International. uk usa asia.

Photo: PhotoSport International. uk usa asia.

Photo: PhotoSport International. uk usa asia.

RESULT
1. Lucy Garner, Great Britain
2. Eline Brustad, Norway
3. Anna Stricker, Italy
4. Sophie Williamson, New Zealand
5. Jessy Druyts, Belgium
6. Rasa Pocyte, Lithunia

Other Brits
20. Elinor Barker @ 3 secs
31. Jessie Walker @ 18
45. Molly Weaver @32
63. Emily Kay @6.15

 

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