2007 European Track Championships

 

July 11-15, 2007; Cottbus, Germany

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Under 23 Women's Points Race

Silver for a happy Lizzie Armitstead. With her gutsy performance, a Gold medal is not far away! 

 

Great Britain’s Lizzie Armitstead showed what she is made of today when she grafted out a Silver medal that was close to being a Gold. Lizzie was beaten by Dutch Women’s Senior National road race champion Marlijn Binnendijk  when the Dutch girl beat her to the line in the final sprint after they went into that sprint equal on points.

 

The race was one of many attacks but nothing came of anything and so it came down to sprints. Lizzie had to dig deep when at times she was in real trouble and swinging up the track and hanging on to any wheel she could. But when this Otley young lady chose her moment, that determined look on her face was turned on and she won no less than three sprints and got a couple of points in another to be equal on 17 with one sprint to go.

 

It was all down to the final sprint and Lizzie had the Dutch girls wheel coming into it, showing she was learning the craft of knowing what wheels she had to follow when. Knowing is one thing, but when the girl you are trying to beat in a sprint is the same one who rode away from World Road Race champion Marianne Vos in Holland recently, its going to take a special effort.

 

Try as she may, first year senior Lizzie was unable to do it and crossed the line just behind, the silver medal hers and deservedly so. Katie Curtis failed to finish after being lapped.

 

Lizzie Armitstead: “I am really happy because I’m only a first year under 23 just out of school when a lot of these girls are full time on the road etc. Dan (Hunt), National coach Womens Academy) said all along we can do it but until you’re out there, you’re a bit dubious. So I am surprised and really happy despite being disappointed I didn’t win Gold.”

 

“It was difficult to know where I was in the race (position overall) because I wear glasses and the Points board is useless but I knew I was level going into the last sprint. I just didn’t quite have it. That race was really hard for me. And the track as well is like pedalling through mud. Katie did a good job towing me back on at one point.”

 

“That race came down to strength but I really also have to try and have faith in myself because I race better when I am confident so tomorrow and the road race should be good”.

 

The Sprint victories 1, 2 & 3.

 

One sprint that got away from Lizzie was the final one and the Dutch girl gets two points and that is enough for Victory for her. 

 

RESULTS

1. Marlin Binnendijk (NED) 19 
2. Elizabeth Armitstead (GBR) 17 
3. Anastasia Chulkova (RUS) 15 
4. Svitlana Galyuk (UKR) 13

5. Pascale Jeuland (FRA) 12 
6. Alena Prudnikova 11 
7. Andrea Wolfer (SUI) 10