Superb show in dreadful weather

A STUNNING display from American Chloe Dygert helped lift the clouds from a day of brutal weather at the UCI Road World Cycling Championships in Yorkshire which saw the governing body accused of being “irresponsible” for allowing the men’s U/23 time trial to take place.

As torrential rain fell and roads flooded, two competitors in the morning’s event suffered dramatic crashes directly caused by the conditions.

Denmark’s European champion Johan PricePejtersen saw his hopes of victory ended when he rode around a bend and into a deep trench of water which sent him flying from his bike.

Hungary’s Attila Valter looked like he was racing on a water slide when he came off on a descent and went careering down the road.

The women’s elite time trial was delayed by 40 minutes as water was siphoned from the road. However, conditions improved through the afternoon following fears the event may be postponed.

When it did take place, Dygert obliterated the rest of the field, winning by one minute 32.35 seconds from Anna Van Der Breggen, the biggest winning margin for a woman or man since the time trial was added to the world championships in 1994.

Dygert’s performance will live long in the memory but so too will the appalling conditions which struck the U/23 men’s race in the morning.

“It is super dangerous and I think it is very irresponsible to let it go ahead,” Belgian rider Ilan Van Wilder said after completing the 28km course from Ripon which saw torrents of water coming across the road and deep puddles forming on blind corners.

“It was no longer raining but really pouring. You take the longest route to avoid puddles against all time trial principles.”

Price-Pejtersen began the day as one of the favourites as European champion but finished last following his spill.

“I think it was a bit extreme,” the Dane said.

“I think they should have cancelled it for a bit until at least the pools of water had gone and the rain had stopped being so extreme.”