Ina Teutenberg missed out on the Olympics podium spot
Ina Teutenberg of Team Germany was a definite favourite to finish amongst the top three during the 140 kilometres Olympics Women Road Race on Sunday.
The cyclist was well placed throughout the race until her team-mates missed out in the final kilometres.
Marianne Vos of Team Netherlands, Elizabeth Armitstead of Team Great Britain, Olga Zabelinskaya of Team Russia and Shelley Olds of Team America, all were in the final break as they went through the defences of the German.
Bronzini was then out of contention of the podium as she continued her chase to improve her position.
Shelley Olds was then dropped out of the top four after a puncture and Ina was moved to the fourth spot with a deficit of 27 seconds on the race leader as she crossed the finish line.
Marianne Vos wins her first ever Olympics Gold medal with Elizabeth Armitstead (Great Britain) and Olga Zabelinskaya (Russian Federation) securing the silver and the bronze medals.
Teutenberg briefed to Cyclingnews, "We missed the break and that was a big mistake, that neither Trixi Worrack, Judith Arndt nor Charlotte Becker was in there”.
“Not that we would have worked in the break but probably we could have destroyed it".
"They did everything afterwards to bring back the break, but the three up front were so strong, and we didn't ride slowly”.
“We couldn't get them but the girls did everything to try and deliver me to the finish, but we were just missing a couple of seconds there".
Disappointment for the German as it also was for Shelley Olds who could never recover in time to fight for the Olympics medal.
She ultimately finished 27 seconds behind Vos and had to accept her faith as she settled down for the seventh overall spot after the race with Giorgia Bronzini and Emma Johansson at the fifth and the sixth positions respectively.
Teutenberg is now eyeing the 2016 Olympics scheduled in Rio, Brazil but there is a big question mark on her participation as she will be 41-year-old by the time next Olympic kicks-off.
She appreciated the organisers’ efforts on putting up such a terrific show at the London Olympics and explained it one of the unique experience of her life.
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