Dutch champion Annemiek van Vleuten has won some big races around the world during her illustrious career.
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Just this year the 39-year-old wonder woman won three grand tours - Giro Donne, the Tour de France Femmes and the Challenge by la Vuelta.
But it was her world championship victory in Wollongong on Saturday that van Vleuten rated as her greatest ever.
The champion cyclist broke her elbow in the team trial event on Thursday but recovered well enough to race again on Saturday.
Her elbow hurt "like hell" but the Dutch superstar still managed to produce a masterclass to somehow win the world title in the elite women's road race.
The injured champion caught and passed the surprised leading pack with 800 metres to go to add another title to what has already been a brilliant 2022.
Van Vleuten outsmarted her fellow riders and executed a brilliant finish to out-sprint eight leaders.
With a rainbow over the ocean the race for the world championship rainbow jersey in Wollongong came down to a fast finishing group of nine.
Though it was the tactics of the brilliant van Vleuten who outwitted her fellow riders to deliver another gold for the Dutch team - their 14th gold medal in the women's elite road race world championships.
Belgian rider Lotte Kopecky won silver, with Italian Silvia Persico finishing third.
"I think maybe this is my best victory," van Vleuten said post-race.
I think maybe this is my best victory.
- Annemiek van Vleuten
"I was 100 per cent committed today to ride for Marianne Vos.
"Before I broke my elbow we had two scenarios, two leaders me and Marianne.
"I was super disappointed after I broke my elbow and feeling what a nightmare this world championships were because all my plans had been ruined..
"I felt so sad but felt maybe I can end the world championships in a little good way by doing something good for Marianne Vos.
"And I didn't want to say goodbye to Wollongong with a bit of a bitter taste.
"I think maybe this is my best victory . ...it is quite a story. I'm still speechless, I still can't believe it."
The win in Wollongong was van Vleuten's second world title in the elite women's road race, having won the same race at the 2019 Yorkshire world championships.
"I found myself in a group and then I couldn't go from the sprint and I had to wait for the right moment to attack. It was the only chance I had and then I chose to sprint right at the end and they didn't catch me," she said.
"It was hell, I couldn't get out of the chair and everything was exploding, including my legs.
"I really like to go out of the saddle normally and I found myself using a different game plan and before I broke my elbow the race would have been completely different.
"Now I am world champion. I was doubting this morning if I should wear my lucky earrings.
"I wanted to do a Yorkshire 2.0 today but it wasn't possible because of my elbow.
"I was super disappointed about my elbow in the team time trial because I knew today was a massive opportunity. It was not the best year to win the rainbow jersey last year because it was a COVID year but I will fully enjoy this one."
Meantime, New Zealand won their first world title, with Niamh Fisher-Black winning the under 23 elite road race.
Georgi Pfeiffer from reat Britain finished second ahead of Ricarda Bauernfeind from Germany.
It was a cagey start to the women's elite road race, with the 127 riders feeling each other out in the early stages of the 164.3 kilometre race.
The fact that riders rode directly into a headwind for the first 27 kilometres surely played a part in the conservative start, as did the fact that the road race was one of the longest in recent history.
For a short period even Wollongong's own Josie Talbot went to the front and led a breakaway group of three with a French and Swiss rider.
But it was the French rider Gladys Verhulst who was the first to arrive in Wollongong and make her way up the 34.2 km Mount Keira loop.
The big story though with 40 kms still to ride was that Dutch superstar and pre-race favourite van Vleuten was still in contention.
As champions so often do, van Vleuten showed when the going got tough, it was the toughest and smartest rider who prevailed to win against all odds.
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Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
