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Last Updated: Sep 27th, 2008 - 19:36:49 |
Siobhan Dervan underlined her strong ability and constant improvement since taking up the sport several years ago when she finished an excellent 24th in the Elite women’s road race at the world championships today.
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| Siobhan Dervan (photo by Gerry McManus) |
The Corkwoman finished as part of a group of 26 riders who were sprinting for sixth place, one minute and 47 seconds after the winner Nicole Cooke. Olympic champion Cooke outsprinted Marianne Vos (Netherlands) and Judith Arndt (Germany) to the line, while Emma Johansson (Sweden) finished five seconds back in fourth place. Trixi Worrack (Germany) was a further six seconds in arrears.
Dervan came home ahead of many well-known names in women’s cycling and, in doing so, confirmed that she was right to return to the sport despite being passed over for funding this season. Her ride today confirms the inflexibility of the carding system, and in taking a top-30 finishing position, she has guaranteed backing for 2009.
“I am absolutely thrilled with the result,” she stated afterwards. “I had been aiming for a top thirty place beforehand but didn’t say it to many people as my last race had been over a month ago.
“I had stayed near the front of the bunch today,” the 29 year old continued. “You never really know what is going to happen in these races as we saw in the under 23 race yesterday. There were a lot of attacks going after we caught the early breakaway group but I didn’t feel strong enough to go with them. I was very worried that I would get into a break and completely blow up.” Her decision paid off as she was able to use her strength later on to stay with the other top riders. “Our group broke up in the final few kilometres so it wasn’t really a bunch sprint.”
Three other Irish riders also took part in the eight lap, 138.8 kilometre event, namely Louise Moriarty, Heather Wilson and Olivia Dillon. They were all listed as non-finishers. “On the first climb, there was a crash at the front of the bunch,” Dervan said, explaining what was a complicated start. “Everyone got caught behind it. I got going again, then just moved up really fast as I was worried about it happening again. I think the other girls got caught behind the next one, though.”
Dervan’s result means the she can head into 2009 aiming to move up another level. She has ridden strongly this season, taking her third successive national title plus some impressive results abroad. She’ll be with the Fenixs pro team again next year and will follow a similar pattern to her racing.
“I started last January in the Mary Immaculate college [in Limerick],” she stated. “I will probably do a similar thing next season; once I get my summer holidays in May, I will get back to racing full time. Before then I’ll just go over to races on the weekends.”
Next up for the Irish team is the Elite road race tomorrow, the concluding event at these world championships. Nicolas Roche’s excellent thirteenth overall in the Vuelta a España means that he is likely to be the leader; he will be supported by fellow ProTour professional Philip Deignan and by Roger Aiken, who has been based in Ireland this season but nevertheless shown impressive form.
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World Championships, Varese, Italy, September 23-28:
Race 5 - September 27: Women's road race - 8 laps:
1, Nicole Cooke (Great Britain) 138.8 kilometres in 3 hours 42 mins 11 secs (37.482km/h)
2, Marianne Vos (Netherlands)
3, Judith Arndt (Germany) both same time
4, Emma Johansson (Sweden) at 5 secs
5, Trixi Worrack (Germany) at 11 secs
6, Diana Ziliute (Lithuania) at 1 min 47 secs
7, Marta Vilajosana Andreu (Spain)
8, Joanne Kiesanowski (New Zealand)
9, Alex Wrubleski (Canada)
10, Julia Martisova (Russian Federation)
Other:
24, Siobhan Dervan (Ireland) same time
DNF: Louise Moriarty (Ireland)
DNF: Olivia Dillon (Ireland)
DNF: Heather Wilson (Ireland)
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Cycling Ireland press release (by Gerry McManus):
SIOBHAN DERVAN FINISHES 24TH IN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
ELITE MEN’S TEAM IN GOOD SHAPE FOR FINAL RACE
Siobhan Dervan finished the tough Women’s Road Race World Championships in 24th place on Saturday 27th September. Dervan finished in a chasing group only 1min 47 seconds behind the winner Nicole Cooke (Great Britain) who added the World Gold medal to the one she won at the Olympic Games in Beijing this year.
Dervan rode steadily for the entire race, near the front of the main group which included race winner Cooke. An early break led by Olympic time trial champion Kristin Armstrong (USA) had gained a two minute advantage by half distance but that was finally brought back with two of the 17.5km laps to go.
Cooke got away in the final lap in a five strong group and sprinted to victory ahead of Marianne Vos (Netherlands) and Judith Ardnt (Germany). Sweden’s Emma Johansson took fourth spot.
“I am absolutely thrilled with the result,” said Dervan “My last race was over a month ago because I had to go back to college. I had been looking for a top thirty place so I am very please with my ride.”
“I had stayed near the front of the bunch in the race,” said the 29-year-old from Cork: “You never really know what is going to happen in these races as we saw in the under 23 race yesterday. There were a lot of attacks going after we caught the early breakaway group but I didn’t feel strong enough to go with them. I was very worried that I would get into a break and completely blow up. Our group broke up in the final few kilometres so it wasn’t really a bunch sprint. I had to go back to teacher training college in Limerick on 8th September but I have been doing some solid training in the last month with long spins including training for sprints and climbing.”
The result will be some encouragement for the Elite men’s team which goes into battle tomorrow.
Nicolas Roche, Philip Deignan and Roger Aiken line out for the Irish team in the Elite Men’s Road Race in Varese, Italy on Sunday 28th September. The Irish three man team will be severely outnumbered by the bigger teams like Luxembourg and Italy who have qualified for nine riders under the UCI regulations for team ranking. Cycling Ireland performance director Frank Campbell is delighted that the team will be riding in the best shape possible.
“The team is looking terrific,” explained Campbell: “Particularly Deignan and Roche. Roche’s ride in the Vuelta España was a superb result for him and for the nation as a whole to have somebody back riding in a ‘Grand Tour’ at such a level. It was superb for him to finish thirteenth overall, get second on a stage and six or seven top tens and if he brings that form to this course it will be useful. This course suits him more than the rest of the team. Deignan has just finished the Tour of Poland and although he didn’t get super results, he rode very strongly. He’s back from Beijing and has already signed for the new Cervelo team next year and he is looking forward to these Championships.”
“Roger just has to take the strange form that he has gained from riding in Ireland in the Rás and the Tour of Ireland and we have just asked him to bring that super form with him to help the boys as much as possible,” continued Campbell: “We don’t have enough riders to control the race like the Italians. We have to use the experience and expertise that Roche and Deignan have to get Roche to the 200km plus mark as fresh as possible. That’s where we think the race will be decided. 260km is unknown for most of the riders here. We have two guys riding here at the highest level and they know what it is all about.”
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