All eyes were on Zoe Backstedt in today’s junior women’s road race, as she defended her world title with a perfectly executed ride on her 18th birthday. The afternoon saw further success for Great Britain’s women as Pfeiffer Georgi claimed the under-23 silver medal in the elite women’s road race.
Junior women’s road race
Dominating from the start, Backstedt set a fast pace after being led into the first climb by teammate Izzy Sharp. On the first descent, Backstedt went clear and attacked hard, taking an initial 18 second lead and by the end of the first lap had ridden well clear of the peloton, taking a 47 second lead.
By the halfway point of the 62.7km course, Backstedt had opened up the lead to an impressive 02:14, leaving no doubt in people’s minds that this was her race to win. The young rider crossed the finish line in tears as she was announced Junior Women’s Road Race World Champion, claiming an incredible second world title of the week.
In the peloton, Great Britain teammates Awen Roberts and Grace Lister rode exceptionally well, keeping control of the group, pulling back breakaway riders and blocking potential splits. Roberts rode well up the climbs, but a move from Dutch Nienke Vinke saw the peloton split and the Brit couldn’t hold on into the final lap.
Roberts crossed the finish line 16th overall, with Lister in 31st and Izzy Sharp completed the 62.7km course in 37th position.
On the momentous win, Backstedt said: “It’s pretty crazy; I’m 18 and World Champion. You don’t get used to being on the podium with that gold medal, it’s different every time. I was in tears on the podium, everyone singing happy birthday to me, it’s an incredible feeling.”
Elite Women’s Road Race
Great Britain’s Pfeiffer Georgi took the first ever under-23 women’s silver medal in the elite women’s ‘race-within-a-race’ road race.
The race started in Helensburgh, around 35km north of Wollongong, before it would head over Mount Keira and back to the Wollongong city loop for six laps, totalling 164.3km.
Great Britain started comfortably within the bunch as it rode steadily onto the Mount Keira loop, the first time this section has been used in the competition, with all GB riders making it comfortably up the 6km climb. Coming off the decent before hitting finishing circuits for the first time, Great Britain’s Elynor Backstedt got away in a break with Belgium’s Julie Van de Velde and Aude Biannic of France.
The bunch behind stayed in a holding pattern, ready for the latter part of the race, while the breakaway group kept a steady lead of around 50 seconds. Backstedt and the Belgian maintained their lead up to the fifth lap when the bunch finally gained on them and swept them up into the peloton.
It wasn’t until the final two laps that the race really started to heat up with a mixture of torrential downpours and an attack from Australia’s Sara Roy forcing the chase with two climbs to go. For Great Britain, it was Anna Shackley and Pfeiffer Georgi who worked hard to bridge the gap between groups and working their way back into position after being dropped on the climb.
A gap between chase groups from Naimh Fisher-Black of New Zealand created danger on the climb, leaving the Brits without time to catch the chase before the finish line. Shackley committed to riding Pfeiffer out in the under-23 sprint; a piece of teamwork which ultimately helped Georgi secure the women’s under-23 silver medal for Great Britain.
Reflecting on her medal-winning race, Georgi said: “I’m really happy with the result, I think it’s the best I could’ve got out of today. With two laps to go I got dropped from the group and had to chase full gas to get back on, so to get silver is, the best I could’ve got out of myself.
“A World Championships gives you that extra motivation to dig a bit deeper. Everyone out there today did an amazing job. The whole of our team committed fully to our goal and had determination to keep fighting back and do your job when you get dropped and come back again, everyone had the same determination.”
The whole squad played their parts to a tee, protecting each other throughout the 164.3km course. The final standings were: Pfeiffer Georgi 16th (2nd U23), Anna Shackley 26th (5th U23), Anna Henderson 50th, Lizzie Holden 76th and DNFs for under 23 riders Elynor Backstedt and Alice Towers.
Tomorrow’s final day of the UCI Road World Championships 2022 will see the men’s elite road race take place from 10.15am (01:15am UK time), live streamed on BBC iPlayer. Riding for Great Britain will be Ethan Hayter, Fred Wright, Luke Rowe, Ben Swift, Connor Swift, Ben Turner, Jake Stewart and Ben Tullet.
