Bastianelli betters the dominant Dutch

Marta Bastianelli kicked off a good week for the Italian team when she outfoxed a typically dominant Dutch squad to win the European road title. Despite the Dutch having seven in the reduced group of 28 who contested the sprint finish in Glasgow – and despite positioning three riders on the front in the final kilometre – they were unable to use it to their advantage. Bastianelli accelerated with 150 metres to go and won by more than a bike length. It was the former world champion’s seventh victory of the season, making it the most prolific year of her career so far.