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Anna van der Breggen comes away from Worlds with two Rainbow Jerseys

  • Ron 

In three days Anna van der Breggen has claimed two rainbow jerseys. After winning the individual time trial on Thursday, she was again victorious at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola dominating the Women’s Elite Road Race on Saturday. The 30-year-old Dutch, world gold medallist in 2018 and defending Olympic champion, attacked with 41km to go after the Dutch squad had increased the pace and, with an old-time exploit, she crashed her rivals and crossed the finish line 1’20” ahead the other contenders and secured her victory.

Predictably, the 28.8 km circuit proved selective, with the Mazzolano and the Cima Gallisterna climbs making the strongest riders of the international scene emerge. In the end, it was a real Dutch dominance, with three places in the top four, and the highly acclaimed “Azzurra” Elisa Longo Borghini who was able to claim the bronze.

“I never expected I would bring home two jerseys from Imola.” said Anna van der Breggen filled with emotion after the finish. “For me these have been three dream days. I love Italy because of its beautiful climbs and good food. This region and this circuit, that has given me so much joy, will remain in my heart for ever. The Flèche Wallonne? It’s my next big race on the calendar (Wednesday, 30th September, ed.), but right now I’m not thinking about it. Now, I’m enjoy this really wonderful moment.”

Road World Championships Imola 2020 – Women Elite Road Race – Imola – Imola 143 km – 26/09/2020 – Anna Van den Breggen (Netherlands) – photo Ilario Biondi/BettiniPhoto©2020

After removing outstanding reservations just a few hours before the start, the former world champion Annemiek Van Vleuten is satisfied about the silver she secured behind her Dutch teammate: “Clearly I haven’t recovered 100 per cent from the accident at the Giro Rosa, but I was able to race and fight with the best ones, so I’m happy. I feel super lucky I was here to race today, just a few days after the fracture of my wrist. I want to thank those who have supported and allowed me to be here. Kudos to our National team, and congrats Anna: a really beautiful day for us Dutch people.”

Second bronze medal in the road race at the World Championships for Elisa Longo Borghini, already on the podium in 2012. To have this medal around my neck in Italy, in 2020, has a special flavour: “Last March we were viewed as the plague-spreaders, and now we are considered as a model to follow. We Italians never give up. I’m an Italian and I’m proud of it. I’m feeling such an emotion after claiming a medal in this World Championships on ‘home soil’ – an event that has been organised in a great way in just 15 days. Hearing the many supporting and respectful ‘tifosi’ shout out my name drove me to do my best. Last night, with my teammates, we said we would not cross the finish line with regret. That’s how it went. We couldn’t achieve more than that.”

Thomas Bach, the International Olympic Committee President, is in Imola and, after applauding Anna van der Breggen today, tomorrow he will celebrate the last rainbow jersey at stake, the world  champion’s jersey of the Men Elite road race. The cycling champs from Imola2020 are already looking at Tokyo2020.

2020 UCI Womens Road Race World Championship Results:

  1. Anna van der Breggen (Netherlands) km 143 in 4:09:57 (average speed: 34.327 km/h)
  2. Annamiek van Vleuten (Netherlands) +1:20
  3. Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy) +1:20
  4. Marriane Vos (Netherlands) +2:01
  5. Liane Lippert (Germany) +2:01
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