Italian cycling fans had a lot to celebrate as riders from the young Azzurri finished 1-2 in the women’s junior time trial courtesy of Pre-race favourite Elena Pirrone beating her own teammate Alessia Vigilia by the slender margin of just 6 seconds.
The pair dominated the final podium, who finished 36 seconds clear of Australian Madeleine Fasnacht, posting possibly the ride of the day at the tender age of 17.
The domination of the Azzurri was total not only on the final scoreboard but also through the entire time trial, with Vigilia the first rider to set off. Her time of 23:26.10 would not be beaten by any of the 44 riders that would set off before her team-mate, and she would then have an agonising wait of 20 minutes and 20 seconds before realising that she had to once again settle for silver, the same position she had filled behind the same opponent in the European time trial title in Herning.
The winner, a prodigious talent who also rates her climbing ability, comes out with more credit because of the rain that fell for the later starters, having ridden on the most difficult road conditions. So powerful was her performance that she passed one of pre race favourites in Emma Cecilie Norsgaard (Denmark), who was having a frustrating day on a last-minute replacement bike after the UCI said her intended machine did not comply with the regulations.
The winner, coming from the same area as the runner-up, intends to turn professional and ride for the Astana women’s team next year.
Team mate Letizia Paternoster provided the only real threat towards the pair, going quickest at the first checkpoint before fading badly during the second half of the course.
However, Italian eyes ought to be smiling tonight – and for a good few years to come, on this evidence.
