Denmark have their first elite world champion and I might very well need a lie down! It’s been quite a couple of days…

Women Elite road race

Amalie Didrikesen pipped red-hot favourite Kirsten Wild (Netherlands) in the closing metres to add an elite road race title to her brace of junior versions, Finland’s Lotta Lepisto sprinted to third. The twenty-year-old Dane is one cool cookie. The only time she put her nose in the wind was in the last 25m where it mattered the most. With the sprint approaching she fought like a demon to be on Wild’s wheel before timing her launch for the line to perfection.

The agony….

The Dutch team didn’t put a pedal out of place all day long, controlling the race with a series of attacks before revving up the orange sprint train on the final lap. You have to feel for Kirsten Wild. This was her best chance at a world title and when the 4 time winner of the Ladies Tour of Qatar kicked for line on the slight uphill drag, she looked a shoe-in for gold…right up until she wasn’t. In hindsight she says she went a little early and there was just a faster rider in her slipstream. She was as gracious as ever and this quote made us smile.

The ecstasy…

Three is a magic number… well three riders, a brilliant coach in Catherine Marsal and a whole host of others… Danish Team are GO

Here’s Julie Leth on how the day went down.

Passing the rainbows

The Great Britain team helped animate the race in closing laps with defending champion Lizzie Deignan finishing 4th overall. However, although the rainbow jersey changes shoulders it does stay within the mighty Boels-Dolmans team for 2017. It was lovely to see Lizzie congratulate her young team mate…

Full video is here.  Full report at Cycling News.

Header image: Sprint fisnish  © Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images