Olivia Dillon in action today at the World Championships in Florence where she said the battle was intense (Photo: Sean Rowe)
The favoured rider after her An Post Rás na mBan win two weeks ago, Olivia Dillon said her form during today’s women’s World Road Race Championships in Florence, Italy, was not what she had hoped for.
The US-based pro told stickybottle the intensity up the first climb when the riders hit the circuit in the city was intense, having gradually ramped up as the bunch neared the city.
“I felt I was positioned well throughout the whole 60k,” Dillon said of the race into the city before the bunch entered the circuit.
“I was just moving around up at the front so I would be able to fight for position coming into town. I was able to do that at the beginning, but you keep getting pinched on corners.”
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“Some of the teams were lining it out and they did a really good job. Teams like the Americans and the Dutch; they lined it out completely before we even got into Florence and into the hills. It was full gas before we even got to the hills. Going up it the first time was really hard.”
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“At that point I was probably 50 places back and it exploded, so….. I knew you needed to be up there before the first climb. But the teams did a good job of exploding it before we really even got (to the circuit), in terms of lining it out. Through the technical parts of Florence it was full on and I think that really wreaked people before the climb.”
Dillon added she had Irish team mate Mel Spath for company in her group from the top of the first climb when they were distanced, and right until their race was ended when their group was prevented from going out on the last lap.
“I was really hoping to make as many splits on the day as I could and unfortunately it just didn’t happen on the day,” she said.
Dillon added with her race effectively over after the first of five passages of the two climbs, her group continued to lose time on the leaders.
“The circuit was only 16ks long and we were like 10 minutes down going onto the last lap we did so I wasn’t expecting to be let continue to do the last lap. The race was over long before then.”
While last year – in Valkenberg, Holland – was her best ride in any of the World Championships she has ridden, she was pleased to have competed in her fourth one today.
“This was hard, you know? It was a hard course. Last year was great, the best for me, because I was able to be in the front group.”
“It was a great experience today; the crowds were absolutely awesome. I mean, oh my God. And you can hear the Irish all over the circuit. Every 500 metres they are there, cheering for Ireland, calling your name. It’s just great to hear it when you are out there.”
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