Vittoria Guazzini gave Italy its first rainbow jersey of the 2022 UCI Road World Championships on Saturday in Wollongong, Australia. The 21-year-old won the under-23 women’s time trial world title held as part of a new combined elite-U23 category event.
“I was very nervous because time trials always make me nervous. It’s a discipline that I like, and it’s a race inside myself. So, in the end, it didn’t count to think about under-23 or elites, I just went full gas from start to finish,” Guazzini said in the post-race press conference while wearing her new rainbow jersey.
“From the radio, I heard that I had a good time among the elites. I was trying to be on the [elite] podium, too, but the other riders were strong. I’m satisfied with my performance. I now get to wear this jersey. It’s always a dream to wear the rainbow stripes and so I’m satisfied and proud of myself.”
Guazzini finished fourth among the combined elite-U23 34.2km time trial that was held along two laps of a circuit that included a climb over Dumfries. She finished 52 seconds behind elite time trial world champion Ellen van Dijk (Netherlands), 40 seconds behind silver medallist Grace Brown (Australia) and just 11 seconds behind bronze medallist Marlen Reusser (Switzerland).
“For me, climbing is really hard. So, I have to say that today I had very good legs so, I had a good feeling since the start and I didn’t feel the climb too much,” Guazzini said.
“I was really motivated to wear this jersey and when I was on the course I was thinking to go as fast as possible, not to focus on anything else, and to just remember the corners, push full gas until the end.”
This is the first year the UCI awards world titles to under-23 women in both the time trial and the road race held on September 24. Rather than offer standalone events for the under-23 women, as they have offered the under-23 men’s category since 1996, the governing body has made the controversial decision to wrap the under-23 women’s competition into the elite women events, but it aims to provide standalone races in 2025.
“I think it’s good that there is now an under-23 category for women because it’s very big jump going from junior to elite and now if you know that you can compete, and win something for yourself, it’s a big motivation,” Guazzini said
“Now until 2025, it will be in the middle [combined]…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at CyclingNews RSS Feed…