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Innsbruck 2018: van der Breggen dominates elite women’s road race, Canuel sixth

Reigning WorldTour and Olympic Games champion adds rainbow jersey to list of honours

September 29, 2018
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For the third time in six years, the Dutch have swept the elite women’s individual events at a UCI road world championships, as reigning WorldTour champion Anna van der Breggen ripped away from the field with 39-km remaining and soloed to victory. Last year in Bergen, Norway, Chantal Blaak won the road race and Annemiek van Vleuten earned the first of two consecutive time trial titles. By becoming the world champion, van der Breggen becomes the fourth consecutive Boels-Dolmans rider to win the elite women’s road race title.

Karol-Ann Canuel gave Canada its best showing in an elite women’s road race since Errine Willock in 2009 with sixth place. Canada had three riders in the top-25.

The Course

The elite women would ride the 85-km opening route with the 2.9-km Gnadenwald climb before three 23.6-km circuits around Innsbruck, each with the sharp, 6-km Igls ascent. The total kilometres would be 156.2-km.

The Dutch, with Blaak, van der Breggen and van Vleuten, were the favourites. Surely, they couldn’t sweep the podium, like they did in the time trial, could they?



Early Action

The first breakaway to get away consisted of Ana Cristina Sanabria (Colombia) and Aurela Nerlo (Poland). A Scandinavian-heavy chase quartet was 55-seconds back at the base of Gnadenwald and the peloton 2:20 in arrears. Just before the ascent Canada’s Sara Poidevin and van Vleuten were involved in a crash near traffic furniture.

On Gradenwald Sanabria dropped Nerlo. The grades shredded the peloton, which drew within 30-seconds of the Colombian.

The First Two Circuits

The Colombian came back to the peloton, but Ellen van Dijk powered away with Finn Lotta Lepistö and two others, 23-seconds ahead of the field as the race entered the circuits. It was time for the next climb. The Finn was unhitched, her early activity perhaps catching up with her. Canada’s Leah Kirchmann was in the closest chase group.

Van Dijk’s trio was lassoed by the crest of the Igls climb, the lead group now 23-riders strong. American Coryn Rivera attacked over the top and led into Lap 2 by only a handful of seconds over a small chase, another van Dijk gang. Kirchmann and Podoivin were still in the main group.

The second haul up Igls saw van Dijk drop away from the breakaway and a reforming of the peloton, with Canuel rejoining Kirchmann and Podoivin. Van der Breggen bridged to the fugitives and then busted loose with Aussie Amanda Spratt. With 39-km to go the Dutch ace was solo.

Final Lap

Van der Breggen heard the bell leading Spratt by 1:19. Rivera was still in the bronze position, but had Poland’s Małgorzata Jasinska and Sweden’s Emilia Fahlin for company.

On the final passage of Igls, Canuel and two others bridged to Rivera and the others. Canada perked up.

Canuel’s pace unhitched Rivera and another rider. But it was Italian Tatiana Guderzo, the 2009 champion, who pushed on into the bronze position on Igls. Canuel and Jasinska were in hot pursuit.

Spratt’s silver was Australia’s third individual medal. Guderzo held off the Canadian, Swede and Pole.

Sunday is the conclusion of Innsbruck 2018, as the elite men face a grueling 252.9-km contest


Innsbruck 2018 Road World Championships Elite Women’s Road Race
1) Anna van der Breggen (The Netherlands) 4:11:04
2) Amanda Spratt (Australia) +3:42
3) Tatiana Guderzo (Italy) +5:26
6) Karol-Ann Canuel (Canada) +6:17
14) Sara Podoivin (Canada) +7:17
25) Leah Kirchmann (Canada) +8:18

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