Wyman focused on closing gap to Vos

Great Britain’s Helen Wyman is determined to narrow the gap between her and the world’s top female cyclo-cross riders following her third place finish at the European Continental Championships. Wyman took the bronze medal after finishing 42 seconds behind Marianne Vos.

“I have to put my head down now and work hard to close the gap to Vos and [Katie] Compton, and fingers crossed that can start in Nommay next week,” said Wyman. “Then I’m off on a training week in some warmer weather to get myself ready for the next part of the season.”

Vos is one of the world’s top women’s cyclist, having claimed International Cycling Union (UCI) World Championships in cyclo-cross, road and track racing. America’s Compton is amongst the world’s best in her cyclo-cross discipline having dominated the discipline in her homeland and won several World Cup races in Europe. Compton will enter next weekend’s UCI World Cup race in Nommay, France as the defending champion.

Wyman was delighted with her bronze medal in Hoogstraten, Belgium. The result was her first major championship medal. “I came really close to a medal in the Euro’s a few years ago, but a double puncture stopped that attempt,” she said. “I’m just so happy things have gone my way and I’m able to be on the podium in a major championship.

“I have a great crew of people behind me as well as Kona, and it’s the work that these people put in that helps me keep improving year on year,” added Wyman. “Cyclo-cross is strange sometimes and I have been on the end of some fairly bad lack in the last couple of World Champs, so I’m really glad to have done this for everyone that kept believing in me.”

As the current national champion Wyman is Great Britain’s top women’s cyclo-cross competitor. She has held the national title for four years.

Follow Cyclingnews on Twitter for the very latest coverage of events taking place in the cycling world - twitter.com/cyclingnewsfeed