Elite women's Road Race

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Plouay: Circuit Jean Yves-Perron, 127.9 km (9 laps)

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Complete live report

13:45 CET - km 0

The riders have set off in rain and temperatures of around 14 degrees - not a pleasant day for racing and more of the same is predicted for tomorrow's Elite Men's road race.

Named after Jean-Yves Perron, the organizer of the Grand Prix de l'Ouest, the course is a 14.150 km tour through the arriere-pays of Morbihan.

14:07 CET - km 14.1

The first last was completed in 21:18 and the American favourite and Gold Medalist in the TT Mari Holden is caught behind a crash which involved the young British hope Ceris Gilfillan. Holden leads a group almost one and half minutes behind the lead bunch, which is reduced already after Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli puts in an attack on the first lap. Other riders to fall behind include Sandra Wampfler (Swi) and Janildes Silva (Bra).

14:29 CET - Lap 2, 28.2km

By the time of the second lap there had been some major problems for the Lithuanians, with Rasa Polikeviciute (Ltu) caught up behind a fall involving France's Geraldine Loewenguth, who abandons, as does Rasa's twin Jolanta Polikeviciute (Ltu) and team-mate Gitana Gruodyte. Also withdrawing before the peloton cross the start/finish line is Polish rider Bogumila Matusiak, and Rasa is well behind the main field - led once again by Longo-Ciprelli.

The leaders cross in 22:11 for a slightly slower second lap and already the peloton has broken, with a group at 30 seconds behind including Svetlana Boubenkova, Youlia Razenkova and Fatima Blazquez, then at 1:30 there is another group with Ronel Van Wyk (RSA) and the Australians Hayley Rutherford, Kym Shirley and Alison Wright. Another 20 seconds behind this group came Mari Holden, who abandons and ends her Worlds campaign with a Gold Medal.

14:50 CET - Lap 3, 42.3km

More problems for the Lithuanians, as Rasa abandons as well as Spanish rider Fatima Blazquez Lozano. Earlier in the lap, Chantal Beltman (Ned) tested her legs but was followed by Australia's Tracey Gaudry. In conditions not unlike the Olympics Games road race, these two riders are in this case free to race for themselves, freed from the duties of looking after team-leaders Leontien Van Moorsel and Anna Wilson who are not participating. However, Beltman is undoubtably softening up the field for Holland's lead rider Mirjam Melchers. Gaudry was helped by Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli and Roberta Bonanomi (Italy) to bring the lead group back together, although Ukrainian rider Valentina Karpenko crossed the line about 50 metres off the front.

15:12 CET - Lap 4, 56.4km

The conditions are taking their toll on the field as Oksana Saprykina (Ukr) held an 18 second lead over the peloton at the end of lap 4. Riders to abandon by the end of lap four include Maria Cagigas (Spa), Svetlana Boubnenkova, Germans Simone Klewitz and Tina Liebig, USA riders Lara Ruthven and Kimberley Smith, as well as Alison Wright (Aus), Teodora Ruano (Spa) and Vera Hohlfeld (Ger).

15:35 CET - Lap 5, 70.5km

By the end of lap five Elisabeth Chevanne-Brunel (Fra) had caught and dropped Saprykina (Ukr) and was joined Zinaida Stahourskaia (Blr), who is looking strong and determined. Meanwhile, the conditions claim Nicole Freedman (USA), Mirella Van Melis (Netherlands), Belgium's Lensy Debboudt and Evy Van Damme, as well as Jenny Algelid (Swe).

15:57 CET - Lap 6, 84.6km

Stahourskaia from Belarus is thriving in the rain and pulled out 35 seconds on Chevanne-Brunel, and then a further 1:40 ahead of the chasing bunch. By the end of lap five Canada's Lyne Bessette also retires.

16:20 CET - Lap 7, 99km

The Belarus rider Zinaida Stahurskaia is looking stronger and now has a lead of 1:52 on Elisabeth Chevanne-Brunel (Fra) and a lead of 2:18 over a reduced peloton of approximately 25 riders. The rain claims Longo-Ciprelli, who admits that today is not her day, nor is it for many other riders.

16:43 CET - Lap 8, 113km

Stahurskaia is maintaining her lead while back in the field Madeleine Lindberg (Swe) attacked on the pemultimate lap and bridged to Chevanne-Brunel (Fra). They were joined by Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Priska Doppmann (Swi) and they closed to 1:44 of the rider from Belarus, but only managed to gain 15 seconds on the rapidly dwindling peloton.

The rider from Belrus has managed an average speed of 38.8kmh in atrocious conditions, coming across the line at the end of lap 8 after 2:55:01 of racing.

16:48 CET - Last lap, 118km

Chantal Beltman (Ned) has attacked the peloton again and manages to go clear, while Catherine Marsal attempts a similar move but can't get away. It looks like Beltman may have a silver for all her selfless work in the season, but will not catch the flying Stahurskaia.

17:05 CET - Finale, 127.9km

Zinaida Stahourskaia begins to celebrate as she heads up the finishing straight with a lead of 1:27 to Beltman of Holland and Madeleine Lindberg (Swe) takes out the sprint for the bronze. Following the Swedish rider is her team-mate Susanne Ljungskog, then at five seconds is Mirjam Melchers (Ned), then Sarah Symington, Dede Demet, Wenche Stensvold, Elisabeth Chevanne-Brunel, Tatiana Stiajkina, Susan Palmer and Edita Pucinskaite.

Full results and report