VERONA, 3 October 2004 — Olympic silver medalist Judith Arndt of Germany crowned a brave attack in the final kilometers of the women’s road race to claim a deserved gold here at the World Cycling Championships yesterday.
Arndt, 28, crossed the finish line after the 132.75km race in a time of 3hr 44min 38secs to leave a host of favorites, including Britain’s Nicole Cooke, way down the standings. Italian Tatiana Guderzo came second at 10secs behind with Norwegian champion Anita Valen claiming bronze 12secs off the pace.
Arndt, whose defiant middle-finger salute, aimed at German federation chiefs at the Olympics, caused a furor in Athens, attacked a leading group of six riders following the ninth and final climb of the decisive three-kilometer Torricelle climb. Her determined drive for the finish line, as a bunch of favorites bearing down in the home straight failed to catch her, handed her a first world road race title and Germany’s first in the women’s event for 23 years. Cooke, who finished third last year and had a disappointing Olympics, finished past 20th place, and behind French veteran Jeannie Longo.
“It’s a wonderful feeling, and a great day for German women’s cycling,” said a delighted Arndt, whose eyes were swelling up as she enjoyed her moment of glory on the podium.
It was a far cry from her sullen reaction to winning the Olympic silver medal behind Australian Sara Carrigan a month ago.
As she crossed the finish line in Athens, Arndt aimed a defiant gesture at federation bosses who did not select her friend Petra Rossner for that race.
“If the nomination had been given to Petra and she had been on the start line then things would have been different,” Arndt said in Athens.
However Arndt admitted she had not been angered this time by her partner’s non-selection. In fact, Rossner had an indirect hand in her win, the 37-year-old German yelling encouragement from the German team car in the final few kilometers of the race.
“I attacked at the right time, the last 300 meters for me were the hardest,” added Arndt. “But I knew I had the race almost won. The team car was driving alongside me encouraging me, and Petra was in the car.
Arndt’s audacious attack — although coming early — proved to be the decisive one of the day after several earlier in the race had led to nothing. The leading group took a long time to react to her attack over three kilometers from the finish. Italian Guderzo admitted she had planned all along to go for it after the final climb of the Torricelle. “The strategy for us all along had been to control the race then attack on the Torricelle, and the team worked great throughout,” said the 20-year-old Guderzo.
Vatel took her country’s first medal in the event since Monica Valvik claimed the gold medal in 1994 at Capo d’Orlando.
Meanwhile, Roman Kreuziger of the Czech Republic won the junior men’s world road race crown following a 132km race yesterday.
Kreuziger, 18, sprinted ahead of Tunisian rider Rafaa Chtioui at the finish line to claim the gold medal in a time of 3hr 25min 39sec. Simon Spilak of Slovenia dominated a group of five riders who arrived six seconds later to claim the bronze medal.
ProTour Talks Itself Up, But Still No Tour de France
The International Cycling Union (UCI) President Hein Verbruggen went on a charm offensive here yesterday to promote a crucial part of his major shake-up of the sport.
However Verbruggen, who is set to leave the UCI next year to continue his work with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), admitted that talks with stubborn Tour de France chiefs were still ongoing over the introduction of the UCI ProTour.
Organizers of the Tour de France are against the current format of the ProTour, a 22-race international cycling series mainly based in Europe.
