Blaak takes women’s gold despite crash

Dutch champion Chantal Blaak overcame a painful crash to take a surprisevictory in the women’s world championship road race in Bergenyesterday.The 27-year-old used her more illustrious team-mates Anna van derBreggen, the Olympic champion, and Annemiek van Vleuten, the time-trialworld champion, as foils to escape to a solo victory at the end of the152.8km street circuit course.Australia’s Katrin Garfoot took silver with last year’s champion Amalie Dideriksen of Denmark in bronze.“No, I can’t believe it. Everything happened in the race: I crashed, ittook a pretty long time to get back up, I was in a lot of pain -- inthat moment I thought my race was over,” said Blaak about her crash witharound 65km to ride.“(Then) I thought I can come back and see what I can do. The plan wasnot that I should win the race but to do my best possible for the team.“After that (attack) I just followed my heart and stayed away.”Blaak had instigated an attack with 23km left that saw Briton Hannah Barnes and Audrey Cordon of France join her.But a counter attack led by Van Vleuten and including Van der Breggensaw the lead group swell to seven riders - three of them Dutch - with11km left.It gave the Dutch trio a commanding tactical advantage and Blaak exploited that expertly.With Garfoot, Barnes, Cordon and Katarzyna Niewiadoma of Poland allkeeping an eye on the two star Dutch riders, Blaak took off on a solobid with 8km left.‘The right moment’ No-one was willing to lead the chase knowing they would be simply towingVan Vleuten and Van der Breggen to the line, and by the final kilometreBlaak had a comfortable lead of more than 30 seconds and knew the worldtitle was in the bag.“We didn’t really talk to each other but we knew what to do,” added Blaak.“We were seven (in the break) and three of us (were Dutch).“Annemiek attacked first and everyone was reacting. Then I thought this was the right moment.“We had really good teamwork, everything went as planned, everyone was strong and we raced aggressively also.“There was a lot of pressure because we have to win, but it worked.”The chasers were even caught by the remnants of the peloton inside thatfinal kilometre, although Garfoot had left enough in the tank to win thebunch sprint 28 seconds later, with the fast finishing Dideriksencoming from far back to snatch third.‘Odds stacked against me’Garfoot explained her reluctance to chase Blaak had been a gamble as shethought Van Vleuten or Van der Breggen would let their pride get thebetter of them.“It’s always going to be tough to have three Dutchies in a race ofseven,” said the German-born rider, who took bronze in the time-trial onTuesday.“The odds were just stacked against me. When Chantal went I thought ifshe’s gone maybe Vleutie (Van Vleuten) or Van der Breggen want it moreand (will) chase her, hopefully.“I just gambled because if I’d have chased her they would then have attacked off that.“The best option I had was just to rest my legs for the sprint or a late sort of attack.”And if she had to lose to one of the Dutch riders, Garfoot was glad that it was Blaak.“I’m happy for her because she’s not one of the huge names in betweenthe Dutchies. That’s why I liked it when I saw her attack, I liked thatthe other two were put under pressure and that’s why I played thatgame.”Van Vleuten had to settle for fourth with Van der Breggen eighth.Results 1. Chantal Blaak (Netherlands/Netherlands) 4:06:30” 2. Katrin Garfoot (Australia/Australia) +28” 3. Amalie Dideriksen (Denmark/Denmark) 4. Annemiek van Vleuten (Netherlands/Netherlands) 5. Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Poland/Poland)