From Track to Road World Champion: Italy's Giorgia Bronzini

Italy's Giorgia Bronzini has won the Elite Women's Road World Championship in Geelong, Australia, giving Italy back-to-back victories in the event. Bronzini had previously won World Championship victories on the track as a Junior in 2001, and the 25 km points race in Poland last year.

Bronzini won in a furious sprint finish catching Marianne Vos and Emma Johansson at the line. Since winning the World Championship in 2006 Vos has now finished 2nd four consecutive times.

"I still do not believe it", said Bronzini. "It's been a great team effort. All of the azzure today have sacrificed for the rainbow jersey. This is, in fact, the great value of the Italian squads and it has been proving it for years.

In the first part of the race I worked for the team, I felt good and my legs responded well. I waited for the right moment. I realized that I could and in fact I had to do the sprint in the final climb. Before it, I urged Noemi Cantele and Tatiana Guderzo to try if they were good. They, after realizing that this was my chance, have placed themselves at my disposal. They were fantastic.

This is victory for Franco Ballerini."


The victory was also for teammate Marina Romoli that was involved in a car accident while training and is hospitalized with serious injuries. Each member of the squad wore a glove with a single letter that spelled together "Marina Go".

Top 10 results:
1 Giorgia Bronzini (Italy) 3:32:01
2 Marianne Vos (Netherlands)
3 Emma Johansson (Sweden)
4 Nicole Cooke (Great Britain)
5 Judith Arndt (Germany) 0:00:01
6 Grace Verbeke (Belgium) 0:00:03
7 Trixi Worrack (Germany)
8 Rasa Leleivyte (Lithuania)
9 Elizabeth Armitstead (Great Britain)
10 Carla Swart (South Africa)

Photos: team podium photo by Riccardo Scanferla; others by CJ Farquharson

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