Great Britain missed the medals in the women's road race at the Paris Olympic Games but the team put on a phenomenal show with all three riders – Pfeiffer Georgi, Lizzie Deignan and Anna Henderson – making the winning split after a crash shattered the field with 48km to go.
For a moment it looked like the clock had turned back to 2012 when, with 21km remaining, Deignan launched a sparkling attack that drew out her London Olympics rival Marianne Vos (Netherlands) but it wasn't to be for Great Britain this time.
Vos escaped with Blanka Vas (Hungary) before Lotte Kopecky (Belgium) and Kristen Faulkner (USA) bridged across, then Faulkner soloed away from the leading quartet to claim the gold while Vos and Kopecky sprinted to silver and bronze.
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Deignan explained she had "abysmal preparation" for the race, and admitted to Cyclingnews and other assembled media that her attacks were "suicide moves" and she had "absolutely no intention of riding away to a medal because I was really struggling today with pain."
Just 10 days before the race, Deignan said, she had a "medical emergency" that landed her in the hospital for a night, although she gave no further details. Last month, she said she "got COVID during the Giro and raced by accident with it and really put myself in a hole. I'm alright but it's been one of those build-ups where, you know, it's hard to come into it without the work, so it's been an emotional roller coaster.
"So I knew that there was no final in the legs. I knew I had good shape, but I knew that after 120k I'd be struggling and I could see that Pfeiffer was feeling good," Deignan said.
Georgi made the front split after the first ascent of the Montmartre cobbled climb, while Deignan and Henderson had to scramble back across. Then, as the only nation with multiple riders in the move, Deignan worked to try to keep Belgium's Kopecky – who was caught behind the crash and chasing solo – from bridging across.
"I only was aware that Kopecky wasn't in our group, that's why I was pushing it. And then because I knew if Kopecky wasn't there, then Belgium would be chasing behind and I thought actually this is a brilliant opportunity for us. I tried to establish that move."
Unfortunately for Great Britain, Kopecky made it to the leaders before the next ascent of Montmartre but Henderson and Deignan attacked the lead group to set up Georgi to attack over the climb, which she did. However, Georgi's move was nailed back after the descent.
When asked if her move was too soon, Georgi said, "I thought, it's the Olympics. I think anything could happen. I'd rather die trying than not try."
The move sent the huge crowds into more of a frenzy than before, and Georgi was thrilled with the atmosphere. "That was amazing, like the best crowds I've ever experienced in my life - this was something else."
Soon after, the leaders sat up for a moment, and Deignan and Henderson were able to make their way back to the leaders once again.
As soon as the pair caught on, Deignan launched an attack on a small climb with 22km to go and Vos and Vas were the only riders able to match her pace.
"From the outside, it might look a bit odd ... but actually the best thing I could do was establish that breakaway and give Pfeiffer a free ride ... You know, complete suicide moves."
In the end, Georgi was caught in the group behind and unable to go with Kopecky and Faulkner when they attacked to bridge across on the last ascent of Montmartre with 9.5km remaining.
Georgi said she was "a little bit gutted" after finishing in fifth place. "I felt really good today. I was really hoping something special might happen and I'd be in a shout for the medals but the last time up the climb my legs said no, and I just saw them riding away.
"It hurts a little but it’s my first Olympics, so I can’t be too disappointed with fifth."
"The Olympics is a completely different dynamic than at any other race. We're never teammates on the road. So it's a combination of things that are new. It was a really unpredictable race, and we just have to try and do the best we can."
Deignan, racing in her last Olympics, is happy to pass the baton along to her young teammate. "She's a phenomenal rider and has a very bright future ahead of her. She's got a great mindset and it's a pleasure working for her."
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