Giorgia Bronzini (Wiggle Honda) beat Marianne Vos (Rabo Liv) across the line by just 1/4 of a wheel in today’s Prudential Ride London Grand Prix race. Behind them in third place was Commonwealth gold medallist Lizzie Armitstead.
Chatting to us before the race, Bronzini admitted she was a little tired but looking forward to an amazing race. And for her it was just that.
Speaking to the BBC she expressed her happiness: “It was an amazing race, I’m really excited about it because the last time I was here was the Olympic Games and I was a little bit unlucky.”
Vos led off the final corner from Horse Guards Parade at the end of 15 laps of the 1.3-mile circuit around St James’s Park, but Bronzini was dragged into contention by her teammates Laura Trott and Peta Mullins, and launched herself to the line alongside the world number one.
The finish was so close however, that the announcers were not sure who had taken the title for several minutes. When the result was confirmed, Bronzini beamed with delight, relieved that she had made amends for her last appearance in London when her chances of an Olympic medal were ruined by a flat tyre.
“That felt so good,” said Bronzini, a former world champion. “Any time you beat Marianne in a sprint you know you’re going to win.”
Twelve months ago it was Trott who snatched victory for Wiggle Honda, but this time the 22-year-old Londoner played a supporting role, aiding Bronzini’s last-lap bid for the line, an effort the Italian was swift to acknowledge after the race.
“In the middle of the race I asked my teammates to make it hard and put in attacks to take the sting from Vos,” said Bronzini. “What I did today was because of the support of my team.
“I think we made her tired by attacking as a team. That was our tactic today, and in the end it was a great sprint into a headwind.”
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