After the time trials, today the road races for ladies and espoirs were on the programme of the World Championships 2009 in Mendrisio.
Early in the afternoon the Italian Tatiana Guderzo crossed the finish line first and alone.
On a 13,8 kilometer route with a height difference of 245 meters, which was done 9 times for a total distance of 124,2 kilometers, the ladies fought for the titel of World Champion 2009.
A leading group of 15 riders was formed and it was from this group that Tatiana Guderzo escaped in the last round. The Dutch Marianne Vosstarted the pursuit and got company of the American Kristin Armstrong (who won the time trial in the World Championships on Wednesday) and of another Italian, Noemi Cantele.
They manage to get back on Guderzo but the Italian - who really wants to get the rainbow jersey - attacked again and her three opponents were no longer able to follow her. Finally, Guderzo thus crossed the finish line alone, 19 seconds ahead of the following trio. At 25 years old she thus takes the first World Championship title of her career after having won in 2008 the time trial at her National Championships and having taken the second place in the road race of the same championships.
Marianne Vos (The Netherlands) quite easily won the sprint for the second place and Noemi Cantele (Italy) finished third. After having won the World Championships in 2006 the Dutch rider thus takes the silver medal for the third time in row!
The riders of the original leading group finished at 1'07" behind Guderzo.
The top 10 of the final classification
Below you'll find the top 10 of the road race classification for ladies at the World Championships 2009 in Mendrisio:
1/ Tatiana Guderzo (Italy) - 3h33m25s (34.917 km/h)
2/ Marianne Vos (The Netherlands) - +0:19
3/ Noemi Cantele (Italy) - s.t.
4/ Kristin Armstrong (United States) - s.t.
5/ Diana Ziliute (Lituania) - +1:07
6/ Judith Arndt (Germany) - s.t.
7/ Erinne Willock (Canada) - s.t.
8/ Nicole Brändli (Switzerland) - s.t.
9/ Grace Verbeke (Belgium) - s.t.
10/ Catherine Cheatley (New-Zealand) - s.t. > Click here to see the full classification
The other numbers
Of the 127 ladies at the start of this race only 56 have finished these World Championships. More than 50% (71 riders) have abandoned during the race!
The former World Champion, Nicole Cooke (Great-Britain), was one of the riders who stopped before the end. by Thomas Vergouwen
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