The Cuban Arlene Sierra entered sixth to the finish line in the sensational sprint of the long-distance test of the Wollongong 2022 Road World Championships, in Australiarun this Saturday over 164.3 kilometers, according to official media on the Island.
The victory, with a time of 4:24.25 hours, corresponded to her partner in the Spanish team Movistar39-year-old Dutchwoman Annemiek van Vleuten, who put in an impressive performance despite a recent fracture in her right elbow, according to a note posted by sports portal Hit.
An attack for the history books ?
just look how @AvVleuten powered away#Wollongong2022 pic.twitter.com/c7Y0icSIPa
— UCI (@UCI_cycling) September 24, 2022
It was the fourth world podium and the 98th victory in elite races for Van Vleuten, now escorted by the Belgian Lotte Kopecky and the Italian Silvia Persico, both with a difference of one second from the winner. That same time he was awarded to nine other riders, including Arlenis, protagonists of the exciting finale.
Remember Hit that the manzanillera returned to be very close to the podium, because in the universal event held last year in Belgium she finished in fifth position and now she was the best placed American rider in the test.
Of the 129 registered in the race held this Saturday, only 75 managed to overcome the rigor of the race. Among them were the Colombians Paula Patiño, Lina Hernández and Diana Peñuela, who were located in places 28, 66 and 69, respectively, to complete the representation of America.
In statements to the aforementioned media, Arlenis assured that he did not launch the final attack at “the right moment” so he only lacked “a little more cold mind” to win his first medal in these events.
He also announced that after his return to Europe he has three races left to play with the Movistar team, before closing his performance in the current season.
Since her signing with the prominent Spanish club, the Cuban penalty player has established herself as one of the benchmarks on the world circuit, most of the time as van Vleuten’s squire and taking the reins of the team when the Dutchwoman does not participate in a race.
TOP TEN
1. Annemiek van Vleuten (Netherlands) – 4:24:25 a.m.
2. Lotte Kopecky (Belgium) at 0:01
3. Silvia Persico (Italy) at 0:01
4. Liane Lippert (Germany) at 0:01
5. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Denmark) at 0:01
6. Arlenis Sierra (Cuba) at 0:01
7. Juliette Labous (France) at 0:01
8. Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Poland) at 0:01
9. Elise Chabbey (Switzerland) at 0:01
10. Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy) at 0:01
