Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling’s Giorgia Bronzini took a hard-fought Bronze Medal in the Points Race at the World Track Championships in Minsk, Belarus, as she sought to regain the title that she won in 2009. Riding for the Italian National Team, the former two-time World champion on the road managed to accumulate a massive points total of 22, despite not being able to lap the field during the 20km race, and finished just eight points behind the winner.
Jarmila Machakova of the Czech Republic took the Gold Medal, just one point ahead of Mexico’s Sofia Arreola, having both lapped the field along with Hong Kong’s Wong Wan Yiu. Bronzini trailed the Hong Kong Rider by two points as they went into the final sprint, but managed to secure those by taking third place across the line.
“I’m very happy for me and for the whole [Italian] team, we really wanted a medal,” said Bronzini after the race. “It was a hard race and very tight from start to finish.
“I did my best and did what I had to do to try to win and bring home a medal,” she continued. “I attacked and tried several times to get away. I also had a bit of bad luck because I was never able to take a lap. Obviously going on the attack wasn’t easy because I was one of the most marked riders in the field.”
After a disappointing 11th in the previous evening’s Scratch Race, Bronzini was understandably delighted to take her Points Race Bronze.
“This bronze really feels like a victory for me right now,” she added, “and I think I showed grit and determination to take it.”
Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling’s Dani King finished eighth in the race for Great Britain, having secured her third consecutive World title in the Team Pursuit two days before.
