Medal-free cycling championship for Swiss women and juniors

Priska Doppmann was the best-placed Swiss at the women's final in Plouay Keystone

Zinaida Stahurskaia of Belarus easily took the gold at the cycling world championship in Plouay, Brittany. She finished one minute 28 seconds ahead of Dutchwoman Chantal Beltam, in a race which saw no joy for the Swiss riders.

Sweden’s Madeleine Lindberg took the bronze. Stahurskaia broke free halfway, and made a 60 kilometre solo finish to the 127-kilometre course.

The race took place in cold, wet and slippery conditions that saw a mass fall early into the circuit. Veteran French rider Jeannie Longo, hoping to take her thirteenth world title, could not stand the conditions and pulled out two laps from the finish.

The best-placed Swiss rider was Priska Doppmann, a respectable fourteenth out of a field of 60 riders. Bit countrywomen Nicole Brändli, Marcia Eicher-Vouets, Marika Murer, Yvonne Schnorf and Sandra Wampfler all withdrew partway round the course.

Saturday also saw the junior men in action. New Zealander Jeremy Yates was first, followed by Italy’s Antonio Bucciero and Russia’s Alexander Arekeyev.

Switzerland’s Andreas Dietziker and Gilbert Obrist were twenty-first and twenty-third respectively, out of 126. Jimmy Tapparel took seventieth place, Daniel Gysling ninetieth, and Jonas Blum was ninety-fifth.

Sunday sees the senior men in action, in a competition that has seen some surprise champions in the past. Nine riders are tipped as favourites, including Switzerland’s Markus Zberg.

swissinfo with agencies