The German female cyclists are aiming for a top 10 place in the World Championship road race. Liane Lippert even dreams of more.
National coach Andre Korff sees the German cyclists for the World Cup road race in Wollongong, Australia on Saturday (09/24/2022) “well positioned”. Especially the German champion Liane Lippert “should be able to drive into the top 10”said the 49-year-old.
Lippert: “Everything has to work”
“I think getting on the podium is a big dream”said Lippert, but also added: “Everything has to work, and I have to have a good day.” The World Cup fifth of 2020 wants to try “To save energy at the beginning and then to go along at the right moment. I know which riders to look out for”emphasized Lippert.
Van Vleuten handicapped
As is so often the case, the athletes from the Netherlands, led by Olympic champion Annemiek van Vleuten, are the favorites to race on a 164.3-kilometre circuit south of Sydney. However, Van Vleuten, who won all major national tours this year with the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and the Spanish Vuelta, fell and broke her elbow in Wednesday’s mixed time trial.
However, the 39-year-old was back on the saddle on Thursday, as shown by a video on social media. In any case, Lippert is prepared, van Vleuten have on the tours “proved that hardly anyone can keep up on the long mountain”.