UCI Road Cycling World Championships, Day 3
24 September 2014, 2:18PM
Linda Villumsen in action in the time trial at the UCI Road World Championships in Ponferrada, Spain today. Credit: Graham Watson.
Commonwealth Games gold medallist Linda Villumsen must wait another year for a tilt at the rainbow jersey after conditions did her no favours in the time trial at the UCI Road Cycling World Championships in Spain today.
Villumsen, who has finished on the podium in this event for each of the last five years, had to be content with ninth place as the changing weather again played a hand in results at Ponferrado.
The 29 year old, second to last rider off ahead of defending champion Ellen van Dijk, had to cope with windier conditions along with rain falling late in her 30km ride.
A disappointed Villumsen told BikeNZ’s Director Sportif, Craig Geater that preparing for the world championships seven weeks after Glasgow had been a challenge.
“She had said earlier in the week that it may have been better to have finished her season after the Commonwealth Games,” Geater said.
“She managed to carry her form up until two weeks ago when she won the time trial and the overall in the Tour of Ardeche.
“Today the conditions were changeable and that affected the two last riders who both missed out on the podium.
“Her usual pre-race preparation this morning was upset when she had to undergo a random doping test and also has some health issues so she did not feel too flash.
“She actually rode reasonably well but in the end it was just not her day.”
Villumsen found herself nearly 15 seconds down on the leader through the first time check at 12.23km and 47 seconds behind at the 21km mark. She clocked 40.02.44 for ninth fastest with the young Germany Lisa Brennauer winning in 38.48.16.
Tomorrow Manawatu’s Jesse Sergent competes in the elite men’s time trial over 40kms.
Results:
Elite women’s time trial, 29.5km: Lisa Brennauer (GER) 38.48.16, 1; Anna Solovey (UKZR) 39.06.84, 2; Evelyn Stevens (USA) 39.09.41, 3. Also: Linda Villumsen (NZL) 40.01.44, 9.
Details: www.bikenz.org.nz or www.uci.ch