Brave Villumsen grabs best world championship cycling finish

An ill Linda Villumsen produced a courageous display to finish sixth in the road race at the UCI Road Cycling World Championships in Florence, Italy on the weekend.

Despite suffering from a heavy cold and sore throat, the 28 year old from Auckland backed up from her silver medal in the time trial to complete her most successful world championship campaign.

Her sixth placing today bettered her previous best of seventh last year when she also won the bronze in the time trial, with the Danish-born Kiwi again proving she is one of the best women cyclists in the world.

Today’s 140kms comprised an initial 55km from the spa town of Montecatini Terme with five laps of the daunting Fiesole circuit which has proved so challenging this week.

Villumsen positioned herself in the front group but lost touch on the shorter and steeper of the two climbs on each lap, with the elastic finally breaking on the final climb. Earlier she was dropped by a massive attack from the American and Italian riders, but showed her fortitude to re-establish contact with a lap remaining.

“Getting dropped, coming back, getting dropped, coming back it was the story of my day,” said Villumsen.

“Sometimes it was easier because I did not expend a lot of energy when they attacked but it is all a gamble if I was able to make it back or not.”

Villumsen was thrilled with her final placing given she has not been well since her time trial earlier in the week.

“I couldn’t wish for anything better. I started today not knowing because I have not felt good. So just making it through today was a bit of a victory for me.

“I found the first longer climb was not too bad but the second shorter climb took it out of my legs every time.

Every single time I had to work hard on the way down to catch back up. There was not really any recovery at all either up or down.

“Overall it’s been a good week. I could not really have asked for anything better.”

Teammate Reta Trotman was also forced out early after suffering from food poisoning, while Villumsen’s Wiggle Honda teammate Emily Collins was also unwell following her crash in the time trial and withdrew.
American based professional Jo Kiesanowski, the London Olympian on the track, worked hard early in support of Villumsen but was dropped on the second of the five gruelling circuits in Florence.

Dutch star Marianne Vos successfully defended the title she won last year on home turf, powering away up the final climb to hold off Emma Johansson (SWE) and Rossella Ratto (ITA) after several of the pre-race favourites did not cope with the testing climbs.

The world championships conclude tomorrow with the elite men’s race over 272kms, with an initial 106kms on the flat from Lucca before 10 circuits of the same Fiesole course which will prove a war of attrition.

The team is led by Radioshack Leopard climber George Bennett who will be supported in-form Garmin Sharp rider Jack Bauer and Orica GreenEDGE’s Sam Bewley.

Results, women’s road race, 140kms:

Marianne Vos (NED) 3:44.00, 1; Emma Johansson (SWE) at 15sec, 2; Rossella Ratto (ITA) same time, 3; Anna van der Breggen (NED) at 33sec, 4; Evelyn Stevens (USA) at 46sec, 5; Linda Villumsen (NZL) at 50secs. Also NZers: Reta Trotman, Emily Collins, Jo Kiesanowski dnf.