Neff dominates to take first Elite women's title

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Switzerland's Jolanda Neff, who has dominated the under 23 category, winning three consecutive world titles, finally won her first Elite title on Saturday in Cairns, Australia. Annie Last of Great Britain won silver and Pauline Ferrand Prevot of France, the 2015 world champion, took bronze.

The dry and hot dusty conditions added to the difficulty riders faced on the 4.3 kilometre circuit through the rainforest of the Smithfield Park. Organisers watered the worst sections of the course overnight, and it did reduce the dust slightly for the women's six-lap race.

The race saw a group of seven form at the front on the start loop, with Neff and Annie Last of Great Britain setting the pace. The pair dropped everyone else by the end of the first lap and rode together until the fourth lap, when Neff attacked, quickly opening a 22-second gap. By the penultimate fifth lap, the gap was up to two minutes and Neff could coast to her first Elite women’s title. Last took the silver medal, while Ferrand Prevot took bronze.

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