Britain continues its rise to (world?) dominance with the news that Lizzie Armitstead has won the Gent-Wevelgem road race on the inaugural women’s staging of the classic, the victory marked her second major win of the year following the tongue-twisting Omloop van het Hageland – Tielt-Winge back at the start of March. The impressive win further strengthens Armitstead’s case for leader of Team GB at the London Olympics, at which she is considered a potential podium finisher, but for which she battles with reigning Olympic champion Nicole Cooke.
The men’s edition of the Gent-Wevelgem proved a disappointment for Mark Cavendish who managed only 58th overall position in an event dominated, for the second year, by eventual winner Tom Boonen of Omega Pharma-Quickstep; who helped the Belgium win-total up to an impressive 48 – a full 42 wins ahead of the next nearest country (Italy on a mere 6.)
