The German women’s team was hit by more bad news today as Sarah Düster crashed out of next weekend’s World Championship race. The popular Cervélo rider was brought down in a crash midway though the Herald Sun Cycling Classic in Ballarat, sustaining a broken pelvis. Australian champion Ruth Corset was among the other riders to come down, but she escaped with only cuts a bruises.
Düster is the second rider to withdraw from the German team this week, after Cervélo teammate Claudia Häusler was deemed unfit to travel following a crash in the Giro della Toscana; she was not replaced and the team has now been reduced from seven to five riders.
“It’s a big shame for Sarah and also for the team to be decimated from seven to five riders within a week,” said German team coach Thomas Liese on the German Federation (BDR) website rad-net.de. “Usually you can get straight back up after a crash, but for us the crashes of Claudia and Sarah meant a total failure.
“But we must accept it,” he continued, “ and that we have no replacement rider. The riders are all back in Germany, they’ve completed their seasons and will not have World Championships form. To send for someone down would mean the stress of travel and the time zone change; this would make no sense.”
This will be the second year running that Düster will miss the World Championships, despite being selected. Last year an administrative mistake meant that the BDR failed to register her properly and, despite travelling to Mendrisio, Switzerland for the race she was not able to compete.
How much her absence cost the team is not clear, but there were no Germans in the decisive break and team captain Judith Arndt was visibly tired in the final lap.
There was optimism for the German team in Ballarat though, as the race was won by Trixi Worrack in a four-way sprint with Lieselot Decroix (Belgium/Cervélo TestTeam), Carla Swart (South Africa/MTN) and Katheryn Mattis (USA/Webcor Builders).
“The quality of the team is still high,” said Liese. “The other riders are in top form and I think we can still really do something with this team. Trixi rode a super strong race today and the others have all shown very good condition.”
Remaining German team for World Championships:
Judith Arndt, Luise Keller and Ina Teutenberg (all HTC-Columbia), Charlotte Becker (Cervélo TestTeam) and Trixi Worrack (Noris Cycling)