Home > News

Kirchmann eighth in Commonwealth Games road race

Leah Kirchmann
August 3, 2014
Share on SMS

Leah Kirchmann recovered from her disappointing crash in Thursday’s Glasgow Commonwealth Games time trial to take eighth in Sunday’s women’s road race. In the men’s race, one lashed by stinging rain, Welshman Geraint Thomas added a gold to Thursday’s chrono bronze. Only a baker’s dozen finished the men’s race and no Canadians were in it.

England’s Lizzie Armitstead took the gold in the women’s race while her compatriot – and time trial runner-up – Emma Pooley grabbed silver as their one-two punch worked to perfection out of of a leading group of seven. Armitstead was a silver medalist in the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games road race. The women negotiated seven wet laps of a 12 km undulating route, with the seven breaking loose on the fifth lap. South African Ashleigh Pasio pipped Australian Tiffany Cromwell for third by slightest of margins.

Jasmin Glaesser, top Canadian at 10th in Thursday’s time trial, placed 25th, while Laura Brown and Stephanie Roorda did not finish.

The men’s race was run in even more dire conditions. Peter Kennaugh of The Isle of Man soloed off the front right from the first of 12 laps. Canadian Remi Peletier lit out after him early, as compatriot Nick Hamilton did later, but mid-way through the race Kennaugh was nearly two minutes ahead with the Australians chasing and only Svein Tuft and Will Routley as the remaining Canadians.

Kennaugh had a spot of bother when he had to avoid what one could only speculate was a sorely missed umbrella on the course. The Manx rider began to see his lead shrink as the race entered the final 75 km and the remaining 30 competitors laboured in the torrential downpour.

By the beginning of the ninth lap Kennaugh kept a 1:15 lead over a group fifteen mostly Kiwi, Australian and English riders, with Tuft and Routley off the back. The Manxman finally submitted after 116 sodden kilometres in the lead. By that time, Tuft and Routley had climbed off their bikes.

Kiwi Jack Bauer, Thomas, and Englishman Scott Thwaites took over at the front with Australian Caleb Ewen trying to bridge across. Bauer, Thomas and Thwaites established a 1:47 lead over Ewen with 28 km to go. Only 17 men remained in the race from the 140 starters.

Thomas was wary of Thwaites’s sprint, so the Welshman dashed away with a powerful move on the final lap. Thomas flatted but a quick bike check kept him out front. It was Wales’ first cycling gold at the Commonwealth Games. Bauer and Thwaites staggered in saturated 1:21 later, second and third respectively.

Categories: News |