Megan Jastrab wins junior women's road race in scintillating finish at Yorkshire World Championships

Megan Jastrab won the junior women's road race at the Yorkshire 2019 World Championships after a well-timed attack in the closing kilometres.

The American pulled clear alongside new junior women's time trial champion Aigul Gareeva (Russia) around a tight bend in the closing kilometres.

Jastrab initially refused to come round and take a turn, with Gareeva understanding that the American would beat her in a sprint and this would be her best chance to take another medal in Yorkshire.

However, Jastrab then started pulling briefly with a kilometre to go, to maintain their gap of 10 seconds, before the two riders came side by side as they wound up their sprint on the finishing straight.

Jastrab then sprinted clear, with Gareeva getting swamped as Julie De Wilde (Belgium) took silver and Lieke Nooijen (Netherlands) claimed bronze, with the Russian having to settle for fourth.

Britain's Elynor Backstedt was at the front towards the end of the race, but was not in the first five riders round the decisive corner, which ultimately cost her, eventually crossing the finish line in fifth place.

A crash in the reduced bunch chasing behind typified a day where nasty falls punctuated the day's action, with Belgium's Jade Lenaers hitting a traffic island with under 5km to go.

Kazakhstan's Diana Bukanova was one of the early attackers before Cedrine Kerbaol (France) and Catalina Anais Soto Campos (Chile) went off the front, building up a lead of 30 seconds before they were eventually reeled back in.

Jastrab's victory adds to what is proving to be a very fruitful World Championships for the Americans, with Quinn Simmons taking the junior men's road race on Thursday and Chloe Dygert dominating the women's elite time trial. Ian Garrison and Brandon McNulty also took silver and bronze in the men's U23 time trial.

Result

UCI Road World Championships 2019, women's junior road race: Doncaster to Harrogate (86km)

1. Megan Jastrab (USA), in 2-08-00

2. Julie De Wilde (Belgium)

3. Lieke Nooijen (Netherlands)

4. Aigul Gareeva (Russia)

5. Elynor Backstedt (Great Britain), all at same time

6. Noemi Rüegg (Switzerland), at 3 seconds

7. Kata Blanka Vas (Hungary), at same time

8. Lea Curinier (France), at 5s

9. Silje Mathisen (Norway), at same time

10. Magdeleine Vallieres (Canada), at 7s