Close but no cigar for Team GB
Junior RR/U23 RR | Bergen | Sept 22-23
The men’s U23 race saw the sort of performance from Team GB that characterised the nation’s road races across the board — a fine team display that didn’t yield the medal it arguably deserved, but in this case nevertheless produced a none-too-shabby fourth courtesy of Oliver Wood.
The last third of the race saw Scott Davies driving hard in the break, helping whittle it down to what could have been a dangerous move. However, it was swamped by the bunch with a lap to race and it was Lennard Kämna(germany) who managed to prise himself clear on Salmon Hill. He was joined by Frenchman Benoît Cosnefroy who proceeded to beat him to gold in the ensuing two-up sprint. Michael Carbel Svendgaard of Denmark won the bunch dash for bronze, ahead of Britain’s Wood.
Another good team effort by Great Britain in the junior men’s road race wasn’t ultimately enough to net a medal, although Jake Stewart recorded a creditable fifth place. Gold went to Denmark’s Julius Johansen, with Italian pair Luca Rastelli and Michele Gazzoli coming in second and third respectively.
After his gold in the time trial, much was expected of Britain’s Tom Pidcock, who had been earmarked for an attack on the final climb. He admitted afterwards that he simply didn’t have the legs, although he was, with Jacob Vaughan, able to lead out Stewart in the sprint for the placings.
The Italians were prominent in the women’s race too, where Elena Pirrone’s long-range solo attack won gold ahead of a bunch sprint, with her team-mate Letizia Paternoster taking bronze. Silver went to Denmark’s Emma Cecilie Norsgaard Jørgensen, while Great Britain’s Pfeiffer Georgi followed up her time trial seventh with sixth place.