In a bunch kick after 168 kilometres on the uphill finish on the circuit in Copengahen, France finished first and second with Andy Fenn of Great Britain on a Dolan bike, in third.
The Under 23 race was held over 12 laps of a fairly flat circuit and after some early skimishes, two riders escaped, first Manarelli from Brazil and then he was joined by Leonardi from Italy. They worked together to build up a lead of five minutes but in the peloton it was a constant rhythm of attacks and then an easing up.
Into the second half of the race, as the early break was caught, six more riders got away; Alafaci (Italy), Meintjes (SA), Jensen (Denmark), Ayazbayev (Kazakhstan), Lindau (Sweden), and Berhane (Eritrea).
This break looked dangerous and with many riders in the peloton looking at each other and no one country being dominant in chasing it down, the six looked good for a while before a lack of commitment in the break and the ever increasing pace of the peloton saw them caught.
It was then that the race entered the final phase as rider after rider attacked. Little breaks would form but on this circuit nothing was staying away and in the closing stages on that final lap, the Australians took over control of the front of the peloton.
They’d gone too early however and on the uphill finish, it was the GB team who took over the leadout but even they may have gone a little early as the French sprang from nowhere and hit the front at just the right time, moving away from the rest of the sprinters with Britain’s Andy Fenn holding on for a brilliant Bronze medal showing what a good signing Quickstep have made.
Talking afterwards, Fenn said “We had quite a few different plans and we sent guys on early moves while I was the guy for the sprint. I got a good lead out from my team mate Luke Rowe and was third through the last corner. I hit the front down on the left side of the road, but the French got it spot-on and I got jumped by both of them. I am happy with the result as the team deserved a medal as they worked very well for me but I am off course disappointed that I could not give them the win.â€
It was Great Britain’s fifth medal of the championships, the best ever performance at a road worlds already, and their second on the day.
Result
1. Arnaud Demare, France
2. Adrien Petit, France
3. Andy Fenn, Great Britain
4. Rudiger Selig, Germany
5. Marco Haller, Austria
6. Fillippo Fortin, Italy
7. Wouter Wippert, Holland
8. Alexy Tsatevitch, Russia
9. Tosh van der Sande, Belgium
10. Andris Smirnovs, Latvia
51. Simon Yates, Great Britain
68. Mark Christian, Great Britain
75. Luke Rowe, Great Britain
79. Scott Thwaites, Great Britain
113. Erick Rowsell, Great Britain
GB was represented by Mark Christian, Andy Fenn, Luke Rowe, Erick Rowsell, Scott Thwaites and Simon Yates
Live Updates (Refresh to see the latest updates)
