Great Britain junior women finish road race with heads held high

Melissa Lowther best placed of Great Britain riders in junior women's road race won by Amalie Dideriksen (Denmark)

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Melissa Lowther enjoyed a satisfying end to her junior career as she was Great Britain’s best placed rider in the junior women’s road race at the 2014 world championships in Ponferrada, Spain.

The 18 year-old Matrix Fitness-Vulpine rider, who finished seventh in the junior women’s time trial earlier this week, crossed the line in the second group on the road on Friday morning in 37th after losing touch on the final climb.

“Coming into the second to last lap I thought that if it came down to a sprint I might be able to get up there,” Lowther said.

“The final lap up that steep climb my legs just went, they [the other riders] went up it so much faster. I was watching them go and I didn’t have anything.”

Grace Garner had been Great Britain’s protected rider going into the race but continued to suffer from a lingering illness and lost touch with the peloton on the opening lap of four.

However GB junior coach Matt Winston was pleased with the way the team rode.

“Grace, I feel, in full fitness could have been there. She’s been there racing and beating some of those girls there this year,” he said.

“Mel has struggled a lot over the past two years with illness and injury, so she can come away from the worlds with her head held high.”