The German women were looking to at least take another medal in the road race Saturday, but it didn't work out that way. They weren't happy with the results and looked for someone to blame.
Trixi Worrack was the highest finisher, in 18th place, 13 seconds behind winner Marta Bastianelli. Captain Judith Arndt finished 21st, some 57 seconds down.
Arndt's problem was that she crashed twice in the race, the last time only 11 km before the finish. Although she caught up with the leading group, she was unable to do more, and was ultimately unable to stay with it. "I crashed twice, there was nothing more to do. We have been successful the last three years, this year we weren't," she told the dpa press agency. "Trixi had no chances being all alone at the end."
Hanka Kupfernagel knows who was at fault. "It wasn't the girls' fault today, that it didn't work out, but more the team directors'. I was supposed to attack first, along with Luise Keller. I hadn't expected that -- maybe if I had been tenth in the time trial." Kupfernagel, was, of course, the time trial winner. "That's why I was a little angry when I rode. At the last attack my legs exploded. I am not a machine." She finished 55th, 2'44" down.
"Hanke did her duty," said national team director Jochen Dornbusch diplomatically.
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