Kiesanowski eighth in world road cycling championships

BikeNZ’s Joanne Kiesanowski has finished an outstanding eighth place in the women’s elite road race at the UCI World Championships in Italy today.

The Team Tibco professional was prominent in the sprint from the peloton after the five leading riders broke away with one lap to go in the 140km, eight lap race in Varese in the foothills of the Alps in northern Italy.

Welsh rider Nicole Cooke capped a stellar season, following her gold medal at the Beijing Olympic road race with a sprint victory over former world champions Marianne Vos (NED) and Judith Arndt (GER).

Kiesanowski, who rode strongly in the peloton, missed the final break but pushed up in the final sprint in the 27-strong peloton to grab her best finish at a world championship.

Auckland’s Kaytee Boyd, better known as an international mountain biker, enjoyed an impressive debut in the world road race championship, finishing 21st in the peloton.

Fellow mountain biker Rosara Joseph (Wellington) finished 69th after fulfilling a support role during the eight-lap race.

Vos led the five-rider break on the final lap and edged ahead up the final climb before Cooke and Arndt fought back with the Olympic champion prevailing in the final sprint.

Cooke had difficulty coming to terms with her brilliant double triumph.

"It was a dream come true in Beijing," she said, "and today as well. I don't think I've realised it yet, after the race it was very busy and there was a lot going on. I think I need some time to let it sink in."

Vos said she felt strong but could not make the winning jump on the last climb.

"I felt good in the last lap," said silver medallist Vos. "I tried to give my best, I could not get away. When it was the last I tried to get into the sprint. I saw Nicole was in my wheel, and I could not do anything better. She had a good sprint."

The world championships finish with the men’s road race tomorrow with Julian Dean and Glen Chadwick heading the New Zealand charge in the 260km race. Earlier in the week Greg Henderson withdrew after not recovering sufficiently from illness.

Result, elite women’s road race, 140km:

Nicole Cooke (GBR) 3:42.11, 1; Marianne Vos (NED) same time, 2; Judith Arndt (GER) same time 3.
New Zealanders: Joanne Kiesanowski at 1:47, 8; Kaytee Boyd at 1:47, 21; Rosara Joseph at 6:16, 69.