Yesterday (September 20) was not the day for Emma Pooley. At the UCI World Road Cycling time trials in a rain soaked Denmark she failed to defend her time trial world champion position when her rival, Judith Arndt of Germany, raced her way to the win across the 27.8km course in 37:07.38 with Pooley 24.13seconds off position and New Zealand’s Linda Villumsen taking second-place. It was a reversal of fortunes for Pooley who had beaten Arndt by 15 seconds in 2010, making her the first British female time trial world champion.
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 live Sports Extra Pooley refused to be despondent, saying, “I’m pleased with the result…I’m more of a climber. I would have liked there to have been some kind of seismic activity in Copenhagen, and a mountain to have appeared.”
The UCI Road World Championships continue in Copenhagen until Sunday September 15.
