News

10-08-2008

Women’s Road Race: Leigh Hobson and Anna Sanchis Among the Top 20 on their Orca Bikes

Great Britain's Nicole Cooke has won the gold medal for the women's road race in Beijing. She did so in a time of 3:32:24, beating Sweden's Emma Johansson, who took the silver medal, and Italy's Tatiana Guderzo, who took the bronze.

Orbea-sponsored Leigh Hobson and Anna Sanchis finished the Beijing gruelling course among the top 20, with Canada's Hobson coming in 17th and Spain's Sanchis finishing in 19th place.

The women's cycling road race was held in a 126.4km course starting in Beijing, the same covered by men yesterday, when Samuel Sánchez took the gold for Spain and Orbea.

The rest of the Orbea team, also riding Orcas, achieved acceptable results: Canada's Erinne Willock and Alex Wrubleski finished in 37th and 50th place, respectively, while New Zealand's Catherine Cheatley and Spain's Marta Vilajosana were 53rd and 55th.

Six women riders finished the race dominated by torrential rain on their Orbea Orca bikes, the model that helped Samuel Sánchez of Euskaltel-Euskadi grab a gold medal.

The next challenge for the women and men riding Orbea bicycles is the time trial, to be held Wednesday. The women's ITT starts at 11:30 a.m., whereas the men's competition is at 1:30 p.m. (Beijing time).