Chladonová outsprints Holmgren to take under-23 world title in Montréal
The Slovak beat Isabella Holmgren in a two-up sprint after the pair went clear on the final ascent of Camillien-Houde.
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Viktória Chladoňová (Slovakia) won the under-23 women's road race at the World Championships in Montréal, outsprinting Isabella Holmgren of Canada after the pair rode clear in the closing kilometres of the 134-kilometre course.
The 19-year-old Visma | Lease a Bike rider, second in this race last year, timed the finish well after Holmgren opened the sprint inside the final 100 metres. Lore De Schepper (Belgium) led the chase group home 35 seconds later.
Chladoňová and Holmgren went clear with around 12 kilometres to go on the last of ten ascents of the Voie Camillien-Houde, a 1.6-kilometre climb at 7.7 per cent that topped out 11.1 kilometres from the finish. Fleur Moors had been with them but was dropped on the climb.
It is Chladoňová's sixth professional win and comes after she finished fourth in the time trial earlier in the week. Holmgren, 21, improves on the sixth place she took in Kigali last year.
How it unfolded
Wilma Aintila (Finland) and Sofia Ungerová (Slovakia) formed the day's early move after more than 20 kilometres of attacks, with Eliška Kvasničková (Czech Republic) bridging across. Their lead never grew beyond two minutes.
A crash on the opening lap brought down nine riders, including Megan Arens, who later abandoned. A second crash inside the final 45 kilometres took down seven more, among them Nienke Vinke, the time trial silver medallist, who needed a bike change.
Febe Jooris (Belgium) abandoned after 85 kilometres, and her teammate Lore De Schepper continued the race on her bike after suffering a mechanical.
Morven Yeoman (Great Britain) attacked with 68 kilometres remaining but was brought back. Felicity Wilson-Haffenden, who won the time trial on Monday, attacked with 53 kilometres to go and was later dropped.
Chladoňová went clear with Holmgren and Moors with three laps remaining. Holmgren attacked with 12 kilometres to go and again with 4.3 kilometres remaining, but Chladoňová held her wheel each time before beating the Canadian in the sprint.
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