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Vollering wins cycling road race world title / Photo: Andrej Ivanov - AFP
Vollering wins cycling road race world title
Dutchwoman Demi Vollering capped an incredible season with the women's road race world title in Montreal on Saturday after a thrilling battle with Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney.
Italian Elisa Longo Borghini held off world time-trial champion Marlen Reusser to win bronze for the third time.
Vollering has had a stunning year, winning the Tour de France Femmes and Giro d'Italia Women before triumphing at the worlds.
The reigning European champion also enjoyed a dominant spring with victories in a series of one-day classics: Tour of Flanders, Liege-Bastogne-Liege, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and La Fleche Wallonne Femmes.
And it was a credit to the 29-year-old for holding her nerve after her daring solo attack with 39km to go came to nothing as she was caught with 12km left.
The finish was thrilling with Vollering and Niewiadoma-Phinney playing cat-and-mouse in the final few hundred metres as Longo Borghini closed in on them, and Reusser reeled them all in.
Niewiadoma-Phinney went first and she launched her sprint for the line inside the final 200m, only for Vollering to easily out kick her.
Longo Borghini held off Reuser to finish four seconds back with the Swiss rider crossing the line eight seconds behind the winner.
S.Morin--SMC
