Alice Sharpe did well to survive a bruising road race at the Europeans despite focusing on the team pursuit of late.

Alice Sharpe strong in European Champs road race

Ireland’s Alice Sharpe put in a very good shift in the women’s road race at the European Road Championships in Glasgow.

Sharpe was riding as Ireland’s sole representative in a 130km race featuring strong teams from many of the best nations in world cycling.

However, she recorded a finish for Ireland; a very solid result riding along at this level.

At the end of nine laps of an undulating and technical course, the medals were decided in a sprint from a 25-rider group.

Fastest to the line was Italian Marta Bastianelli, the 31-year-old and 2007 world champion taking her seventh win of the season.

Marta Bastianelli sprints to victory for Italy in the Women's Road Race! ??#Glasgow2018 #TheMoment pic.twitter.com/e1DT0uDEwS

— Eurosport UK (@Eurosport_UK) August 5, 2018

She won the European title from Dutch and German stars Marianne Vos and Lisa Brennauer.

Sharpe finished in the second large group, some 3:47 down. She place 35th of the 73 finishers from a start list of 110.

The Irish rider had been in the large front group until the final lap began. The pressure was then ramped up, with the race splitting to pieces and Sharpe losing her place in the front group.

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“It was savage – the climbs really were testing and wearing as it went on,” said Alice Sharpe of the title race.

She said as the race went on she was feeling good. But by the closing laps she was counting down the inclines as they kept come. Overall, she was happy with her ride.

“I think it was a lap to go and on the steepest of the climbs a few just chipped off at the front,” she said.

The new champion as delighted and overwhelmed after a huge win. Marta Bastianelli is the new European queen.

Sharpe continued: “And then it just went mad pace from then on. Just as it split I didn’t have anything left at that moment.

“But I was pleased to hang in on the second bunch on the road. I’d say this is one of the toughest races I have ever done.

“The hills were so wearing and so relentless. The laps get to you when you’re dying. And you have four more of the same thing coming up again.”

Sharpe, who was 3rd in the road race at the Irish championships in June, has been focussing more on the track of late.

She joined Cycling Ireland’s track programme back in January. And she has been training in Majorca as part of the team pursuit set-up.

Against that background, her road race finish was particularly solid.