Once again a great day in in Alkmaar, the Dutch city hosting the Road European Championships.
Two Road races on the programme, the Men’s Under 23 and the Women’s Elite which once again resulted in many gold medals to Italy and the Netherlands.
The host country was the favourite in the women’s race and the public were not disappointed.
After controlling the situation in the first stages of the race, approximately 80 kilometres from the finish, action unfolded which then proved to be decisive in the final with the breakaway by Lisa Klein (Germany), Amy Pieters (Netherlands) and Elena Cecchini (Italy). The leading trio quickly gained a lead of more than 2 minutes over the peloton, a lead which they managed to maintain despite a strong prevailing wind all day.
In the last few kilometres, the gap on the leading riders’ started to close, but the group did not manage to catch them up. In the final sprint of three, Amy Pieters, who had already won the gold medal Wednesday in the Mixed Relay, achieved a decisive win over Elena Cecchini, and the German Lisa Klein who came third, following her second place won in the Individual Time-Trial and Mixed Relay a few days ago.
A group sprint decided the winner in the Under 23 race with the victory of the Italian Alberto Dainese.
The race was thrilling with lots of twists and turns especially in the final stages when another Italian, Alexander Konyshev, after getting ahead of the Norwegian Jonas Iversby Hvideberg who was leading with him, seemed set to have a solo win. However, in the last few kilometres, the peloton reacted and caught up the Italian at least two kilometres from the finish. A group sprint was then inevitable and was won by Alberto Dainese with a good margin over Niklas Larsen (Denmark) and Rait Arm (Estonia).
Tomorrow, it will be the turn of the Men’s Elite race starting at 11h30 with a total distance of 172 kilometres. The course includes a 46 kilometre stretch in the first stages and then 11 laps of the course which has been the format for all Road races at these 2019 European Championships.
Info, results, entry lists and TV programmes TV #EuroRoad19 – click here
