Judith Arndt (Germany)(Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Judith Arndt (Germany)(Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Judith Arndt (Germany)(Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Judith Arndt (Germany)(Image credit: Sirotti)
Judith Arndt (Germany)(Image credit: Sirotti)
Judith Arndt (Germany)(Image credit: Sirotti)
Judith Arndt (Germany)(Image credit: Sirotti)
Elite women's time trial podium: Judith Arndt, Kristin Armstrong and Olga Zabelinskaya(Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Germany came up short in the road races at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, but came away with two silver medals in the time trials thanks to Tony Martin and Judith Arndt.
Speaking in the press conference just as her compatriot won his medal, Arndt expressed her satisfaction with adding the time trial silver to the road race medal she won in 2004.
"I'm really happy with the silver medal. Of course my goal was to win gold, but if you would have asked me yesterday I would have named Kristin [Armstrong] as favorite for today. So I'm not surprised."
Armstrong won by more than 15 seconds over Arndt, with Russian Olga Zabelinskaya in third.
Arndt felt that the field was deep, agreeing with Armstrong that there were easily nine women who could take the gold medal on any given day.
"It's hard. If you look at great athletes like Clara Hughes and Linda Villumsen and they miss out on podium, you really have to have a good day to get on the podium."
Starting out relatively slow, Arndt lagged well behind the medal positions in the first check, coming fifth after 9.1km and moving into third at 20.4km. In the final 8.6km, she and Zabelinskaya made up spots on Villumsen, who came apart in the final leg.
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Even though radio communications are allowed in time trials between team cars and riders, Arndt chose to race without that technology, having ditched the idea ahead of her world championship title in 2011. She had no idea until the finish where she was placed.
"I had one for a few years, but I decided last year I'm actually better without any input from the outside. Then I am just doing my race. Sometimes you get information you don't want to here, so sometimes it's just better to race and give everything you can."
With silver in the bag, Arndt will now move onto the track cycling venue where she will compete in the women's team pursuit along with Lisa Brennauer, Madeline Sandig and Charlotte Becker.
After putting in huge turns at the front in the road race for her team and taking silver today, it would be understandable if Arndt was a little tired, but the German veteran said she is ready to give more.
"I put my focus on every race. I gave everything in the road race: we missed the break and I gave it all to try and get them back for Ina [Teutenberg], because I really believed in her that she could be Olympic champion. Today was a new race, and in two days it will be another new race and I will give everything again, all the same."
Laura Weislo is a Cyclingnews veteran of 20 years. Having joined in 2006, Laura extensively covered the Operacion Puerto doping scandal, the years-long conflict between the UCI and the Tour de France organisers ASO over the creation of the WorldTour, and the downfall of Lance Armstrong and his lifetime ban for doping. As Managing Editor, Laura coordinates coverage for North American events and global news.
