A few minutes after crossing the finish line, she still couldn’t believe it. Dutchwoman Annemiek van Vleuten won the Women’s Road Cycling World Championships on Saturday September 24 in Wollongong (Australia). At 39, she puts on her second rainbow jersey (after 2019) and once again demonstrates the superiority of the Netherlands in the peloton: the Dutch have won five of the last six editions.
Before arriving in Australia, Annemiek van Vleuten was a huge favourite. But her victory is a real feat, she who was not sure of being able to line up at the start. During the mixed relay on Wednesday, the runner was the victim of a heavy fall shortly after the start of the race. A visit to the hospital later, the results were known: a fracture without displacement of the right elbow.
⚠️ CRASH for @AvVleuten!! ⚠️ Mechanical issue causes horrible crash for the Dutch superstar. Really disappointing… https://t.co/c1XQ9cxncx
Finally aligned, Van Vleuten seemed to be promised a role of luxury teammate for the Netherlands, especially as she struggled to follow the lead during the last two laps of the circuit (17 km each). Stalled for the first time during the penultimate climb of Mount Pleasant (1.1 kilometers at 7.7%, passage at 14%), she managed to come back with other runners, before being left behind again at the same place on the next turn.
A dream season
The case seemed settled, and the places on the podium were then to be decided between the five riders who left in front with 7 kilometers from the finish. But, unable to agree, the breakaways were taken up one kilometer from the finish. A little behind, Annemiek van Vleuten had a harder time catching up. But the Dutchwoman did not miss her chance: she who admitted before the race that she had trouble getting into a dancer got up on her pedals to bring a decisive acceleration when it was time to join the leading group, and win ahead of the Belgian Lotte Kopecky (2e) and the Italian Silvia Persico (3e).
This feat completes a dream season for Van Vleuten, who had previously dominated the general classification of the three Grand Tours (Tour de France, Italy and Spain). But while she had largely dominated the Tour de Francein particular in the mountains, by relegating the second, her compatriot Demi Vollering, to more than three minutes, it was in a completely different register that the Dutchwoman found a way to win on Saturday.
During the last two laps of circuits made difficult by the rain, the French women did not manage to get a place on the podium. Present with the best during the final sprint, Juliette Labous finally finished 7e. “Van Vleuten left, and no one could go thereshe explained on arrival at the microphone of New Caledonia La Première. The race was really explosive, I have no regrets. »
Tricolor cycling nevertheless won a first medal on Saturday at these Worlds: Eglantine Rayer (18) took silver in the junior race, behind Briton Zoe Bäckstedt.