Home > News

Van der Breggen doubles up on rainbow jerseys at 2020 world championships

Van Vleuten silver despite broken wrist as Dutch dominance continues in the road race

September 26, 2020
Share on SMS

Dutch dominance of the elite women’s World Championships races continued on Saturday, as Anna van der Breggen added a second road title to Thursday’s time trial triumph in Imola, Italy. The 2018 road champion as well, van der Breggen escaped on the penultimate lap and soloed 41 km to victory. With van der Breggen’s double, the Dutch have now claimed four of the last eight Worlds time trials and six of the last nine road titles via four different women.

The Course

The elite women had five 29.6-km laps with three climbs on each lap and a finish on the Ferrari auto racing track. It was another windy day at the Worlds.

Six Canadians were in the race: Alison Jackson, Leah Kirchmann, Karol-Ann Canuel, Marie-Soleil Blais, Sara Poidevin, and Magdeleine Vallieres. Jackson instigated the main breakaway of the day and finished 30th.

Lap 1 was marked by a few crashes, the climbs catching a few riders out and Anna van der Breggen having to return to the peloton after a mechanical.

A lone rider whipped away on Lap 2 but was brought back.

Alison Jackson initiated the next move and was joined by seven others. Behind, Sara Poidevin crashed.

With 54-km remaining, Australia and Denmark were relaying in the peloton to bring back Jackson’s breakaway and reduce the numbers. Van der Breggen launched her first attack, and Elisa Longo Borghini followed.

The Netherlands then worked to bring the peloton closer. After the junction Marianne Vos increased the pace on the 2.3 km, seven percent Gallisterna climb. Next Annemiek van Vleuten, having broken her wrist eight days ago while leading the Giro Rosa, attacked. With 41-km to go van der Breggen pushed away on a climb. The rest never saw her again.

Van Vleuten and Vos set up an attack from van der Breggen.

On the descent to the final lap, van Vleuten, Longo Borghini, Lizzie Deignan and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig were van der Breggen’s closest chasers, van Vleuten not having to work.

Van der Breggen was cruising.

The four chasers were caught. Jackson was still among the 34 riders, seven of whom were Dutch. Van der Breggen heard the bell 1:40 ahead of the bunch.

The chase bunch started to think about silver and bronze, not gold. Longo Borghini powered away on the Gallisterna, and van Vleuten laboured to grab the Italian’s wheel. The podium beckoning, they worked well together and stayed away in the final 11 km.

Second last year, the rainbow jersey winner in 2018, three-time and brand new Giro Rosa champ, van der Breggen was imperious. The Dutch were first, second and fourth on Saturday.

The elite men face nine laps on Sunday in Imola 2020’s conclusion.

2020 UCI Road World Championships Elite Women’s Road Race

Gold) Anna van der Breggen (The Netherlands) 4:09:57
Silver) Annemiek van Vleuten (The Netherlands) +1:20
Bronze) Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy) s.t.
30) Alison Jackson (Canada) +4:49