A year ago when Lizzie Armitstead crossed the line at the World Championships in Spain the disappointment and gloom surrounding her was palpable. She had been beaten a worthy competitor in Pauline Ferrand Prevot but the prevailing feeling through the disconsolate sense of loss was of what might have been.
Twelve months on and the situation in Richmond could not have been more different. Just like last year Armitstead lined up as a pre-race favourite but there was a steel to her that perhaps was missing at times in the past, a sense that no matter what hurdles she faced in the road race they would be overcome.
In the end though she made it look easy – a sign of a true champion if ever there was one – with race victory brimming with style, finesse and a tactical astuteness that outclassed her rivals.
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"It's the first time I've been a favourite going into the world championships, so it was hard," she at least admitted in her post-race press conference.
"It was very nerve wracking and I just had to play poker all the way to the line. I attacked at the last climb because I needed to put some distance between me and the real sprinters."
Armitstead's game plan for the race was effective as much as it was simple. Sit in the wings during the early exchanges and wait for the final laps. Her team were small in numbers but carried her through the opening laps and when the race appeared to be slipping out of her reach she attacked on the penultimate set of climbs.
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