Emma White and Chloe Dygert wins silver and gold medals in UCI Women’s Junior Road Race
Photo Credit: Darnell Myrick
Women’s Junior Road Race
For the second consecutive Women’s Junior Race, the United States takes the gold and silver medals in the UCI Women’s Junior Road Race. Chloe Dygert and Emma White finished in first and second place respectively, winning their second gold and silver medals this week. The American duo finished 1-2 in the Women’s Junior Individual Time Trial on Monday. Dygert finished with a time of 1:42:16. Poland’s Agnieszka Skalniak took home the bronze medal with a time of 1:43:44, five seconds behind Emma White (1:43:39).
Dygert was able to get a big lead early in the race and did not have to look back. At one point, the 18-year-old, had a two minute lead against the rest of her competition.
“I just kind of looked back and I had a little gap and I was like I’ll just keep going and I was able to keep it,” Dygert said.
“Chloe did amazing,” White said. “Chloe proved that there was nobody stronger than her. She is incredible at what she does. As her teammate, I was honored to see her go up the road. I tried to control what was going on behind her while controlling what was going on behind me.”
This was the first time two individuals from the same country won a medal in the Women’s Junior Road Race since 2009 when Rossella Callovi and Susanna Zorzi of Italy took first and third.
Men’s Under 23 Road Race
France’s, Kevin Ledanois, celebrates winning the UCI Men’s U23 Road Race
Photo Credit: Darnell Myrick
After multiple lead changes, France’s, Kevin Ledanois won the rainbow-colored jersey and gold medal in the UCI Men’s U23 Road Race with a time of 3:54:45. Italy’s, Simonne Consonni, took home the silver medal finishing closely behind Ledanois. Ledanois’ compatriot, Anthony Turgis, finished in third place earning the silver medal. This is the second consecutive year that two individuals from the same country finished in first and third place when Norwegians Sven erik Bystrom and Kristoffer Skjerping won first and third respectively.
Today’s race spanned for over 162 kilometers with 10 laps and went through Downtown Richmond, Monument Avenue, Shockoe Bottom, and Libby Hill.
It looked like a four-man competition for first during much of the race between Maximillian Schachmann, Davide Martinelli, Oleg Zemlyakov, and Jose Luis Rodriguez. However, each of them feel back, Martinelli had an issue with his bicycle that cause him to finish in the middle of the pack. Towards the race’s conclusion, rain started to pick up causing multiple cyclists to crash. The gaps started to form between the cyclists. Ledanois was able to surge into the lead late and never let go of it.
“We wanted to speed up before the first climb in the final lap,” Ledanois said. “After that, we saw that the cobblestones were wet because of the rain and eventually, a rider crashed. My intention was to be in the front and to keep Anthony in the best possible position before the last climb.”
The road circuits resume tomorrow with the Men’s Junior and Women’s Elite Road Race.
