Spratt fights off cramping for road race silver

AUSTRALIAN cycling star Amanda Spratt has capped the best season of her career with silver in the road race at the world championships.

While Dutch Olympic gold medallist Amanda van der Breggen was peerless, riding solo for the last 40km to claim her first world road race title, Spratt was rapt to claim her first senior medal at the championships.

“I’m proud of this medal ... Anna was on another level today,” Spratt told the cyclingnews website.

Spratt was one of the favourites for the road race after a season that featured four wins.

She also was by herself for the last 40km of the 156.2km race in Innsbruck, Austria.

Spratt finished three minutes 42 seconds behind van der Breggen and nearly two min- utes ahead of Italian bronze medallist Tatiana Guderzo.

When the highly-favoured Dutch team had no one left in the leading group for the final 50km, van der Breggen stepped up the pace.

She jumped out of the peloton and quickly overtook the five riders in front. Spratt briefly followed but she had to let go when the Dutchwoman accelerated on a steep climb.

The Australian said she suffered badly in the closing kilometres and team director Gene Bates told her near the end that she was racing for the silver medal.

“My legs were cramping and I was trying to find food, anything to get to the finish line,” Spratt said.

“It’s an incredible way to finish the season. Anna was honestly on another level.”