After two days of Time-Trial races in Brno, the European Championships taking place in the Czech Republic moved to Zlin for the Road races which were held today in the Women’s Junior and Under 23’s categories.
There were two great exploits at both races: at the Junior’s with the Russian Aigul Gareeva and at the Under 23’s with the Czech Repubic rider Nikola Nosková.
The day started with the Junior race (98 at the start from 30 countries). Following various attacks at the beginning of the race, two riders broke away from the peloton in the second of the seven laps (from 10.8 kilometres) of the route: the German Hannah Ludwig, silver medallist two days ago in the Time-Trial and the French rider Marie Le Net who was joined just after by the Russian Aigul Gareeva.
Approximately fifty kilometres from the finish, Aigul Gareeva launched a strong and decisive attack. On the difficult route of the Zlin circuit, the Russian achieved a great feat. She continued to take the lead ahead of her opponents and crossed the finish line 6’01” before the group chasing her, the sprint of which was won by the Italian, new European Time-Trial Champion Vittoria Guazzini, beating the German Hannah Ludwig who completed the podium.
In the Under 23’s race (73 starters from 22 countries), the peloton remained together for the first two of the 10 laps with the Dutch who were in control. On the third lap, three riders broke away: the 2017 Junior European Time-Trial Champion and Junior Road and Time-Trial Champion last year, Elena Pirrone (Italy), the new European Time-Trial Champion Aafke Soet (Netherlands) and the Time-Trial bronze medallist, the native Nikola Nosková (Czech Republic).
After a lead of over 3’30” on the peloton, approximately 65 kilometres from the finish, Nikola Nosková launched an attack. The Czech rider displayed a great show of strength by getting ahead of her breakaway companions and the rest of the peloton. She crossed the finish line with a 3’49” lead over the Dutch rider Aafke Soet and 7’15” over the Italian Letizia Paternoster who won the group sprint and third place.
Tomorrow, Sunday 15 July, the European Championships will finish with the Men’s Road races: Junior’s (118.8 km, start at 9 am) and Under 23’s (140.4 km, start at 1 pm).
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