Australian takes first gold in her dream triple
Australian Rochelle Gilmore won the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games road race today in Delhi. She sprinted ahead of England’s and compatriot, Australian Chloe Hosking.
With her win, after 112 kilometres in 2h49’30’, she defended Australia’s title taken four years ago at home in Melbourne.
“I stayed confident the whole race, and I worked so hard for this win I really had no option but to pull it off,” she told The Australian newspaper.
“With 100 metres to go, I knew Armistead was coming from behind and if I hadn’t made my move she may have taken over from both of us. Chloe would be very happy for me to have won today, because we work for each other and we have so much respect for each other.”
The race was held on a flat circuit in Delhi that was noted for its lack of spectators. They would have had little to cheer for in the opening laps, as there were almost no attacks.
Team New Zealand came to the front and tried to pre-empt the sprint with several attacks by Linda Villumsen, bronze winner at the Worlds time trial. With one lap to go, Villumsen succeeded, though marked by Australian Victoria Whitelaw. Whitelaw forced her rival to do most of the work to favour team-mate Gilmore in a group sprint.
Australia’s plan succeeded.
“I just felt like I let the girls down a little bit because they did a really good job,” said Armitstead.
“It was our first try at a lead out and I waited a little bit. I should have made the split decision to get on a wheel instead because my team had done too much.”
Gilmore’s win completes step one of her dream triple.
“This is the first of three races I want to win – the Commonwealth Games, the [2011] World Championships in Denmark and then the Olympics in London [2012]. I have ticked one of those three and this is the start for me.”
Her win today helped Australia continue to lead the Commonwealth Games’ gold medal count. It leads with 56 gold medals; India has 26 and England has 24.