Pooley on top of the world after Dowsett is grounded

Emma Pooley (image courtesy of Wikipedia)

Britian’s Emma Pooley has won the women’s time trial at the UCI Road World Championships in Melbourne, completing the 22.9 kilometre course in 32:48, 15 seconds faster than Judith Arndt of Germany, with New Zealand’s Linda Melanie Villumsen claiming the final podium position.

Winning the world champion’s rainbow jersey caps a brilliant season for the 27-year old Cervélo rider, who has also won Flèche Wallonne, the Tour de l’Aude and the Giro del Trentino in a breakout year which has finally seen her emerge from the shadow of compatriot Nicole Cooke, for whom she played a vital support role in winning her road race gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Pooley was delighted afterwards, explaining that she had targeted this race specifically in training:

The Olympic Games is pretty special, but in a way, that was easier for me because I had no expectations and no pressure. This time it was different. I trained specifically for this, doing a lot of hill training and intervals on my time trial bike. Now I get to wear the world champion’s jersey with the stripes for a whole year.

The day had started with disappointment for Britain’s Alex Dowsett in the under-23 time trial. His podium chances were ruined when he grounded a pedal and he was forced to switch to a road bike. The race was won by Dowsett’s American Trek-Livestrong teammate, Taylor Phinney.

Having achieved the time trial and road race double at this year’s British National Championships, Pooley has a realistic opportunity to achieve the same in Saturday’s 127 km women’s road race on a hilly course which should suit her well.

However, having done a recce of the men’s road race course, Mark Cavendish has effectively written off his chances of  hopes of becoming Britain’s first world road race champion since Tom Simpson in 1965:

According to what people had been telling me beforehand the  rainbow jersey was a possibility, but now that I’ve been able to check it out for myself, I’ll have to revise my ambitions.

The circuit, which the riders will have to negotiate eleven times, features two steep climbs and a long, steady uphill finish which should negate the pure sprinters and favour Classics specialists such as Philippe Gilbert or Fabian Cancellara.

Women’s time trial result

1. Emma Pooley (Great Britain) 32:48.44

2. Judith Arndt (Germany) +0:15.17

3. Linda Melanie Villumsen (New Zealand) +0:15.80

4. Amber Neben (USA) +0:37.66

5. Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (France) +0:43.94

6. Evelyn Stevens (USA) +1:00.08

7. Tara Whitten (Canada) +1:05.91

8. Shara Gillow (Australia) +1:13.18

9. Emilia Fahlin (Sweden) +1:22.20

10. Tatiana Guderzo (Italy) at 1-25.5

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