Erika Vilunaite
Silvia PariettiDocument Actions
Kristin Armstrong is Olympic Champion
At the Olympic time trial in Beijing, the US American Kristin Armstrong from the Cervélo-Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team, who turned 35-year-old on Monday, claimed victory in a superior manner on the 23,5 km challenging time trial course. Armstrong finished in at time of 34.51,27 min, with an average speed of 40,4 km/h on the course over the Badaling pass.
On the race with equal dry condition for the entire 25 competitors from 17 nations, Karin Thürig convince as well. The Swiss rider took the bronze medal behind Emma Pooley. For Thürig it is the second bronze medal in an Olympic time trial competition after Athens 2004 and for Armstrong it is her first podium position in an Olympic race.
The 33-year-old Christiane Soeder (AUT) reached after the fourth place in the Road Race today the seventh rank and Priska Doppmann finished eight. Both riders made now two times a top eight rank in the 2008 Olympics.
For Kristin Armstrong everything fit’s today. On the first part of the course up to the Badaling pass, she had the second intermediate time, nearly 4 seconds behind Emma Pooley, but in the way back to the start and finish area, Armstrong produced a great performance.
Karin Thürig had to wait long in the finish area for the confirmation of a podium place. The early started Swiss athlete had only the fifth intermediate time on the Badaling pass but was strong on the second part of the race and left the 49-year-old cycling veteran Jeannie Longo behind her in the finish.
„My tactic was not to go on the limit in the uphill, that I have enough power to push the pedals in the downhill”, said Thürig after the race „I was able to keep the rhythm.”
More information
Result:
1 Kristin Armstrong (USA) 34:51.72 min. (40.445km/h)
2 Emma Pooley (GBR) 24.29
3 Karin Thürig (SUI) 59.27
4 Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (FRA) 1:00.90
5 Christine Thorburn (USA) 1:02.44
6 Judith Arndt (GER) 1:08.05
7 Christiane Soeder (AUT) 1:29.03
8 Priska Doppmann (SUI) 1:36.07
