“I think it’s a whole different race" - Juliette Labous on Annemiek van Vleuten potentially missing World Championship road race

One of the French hopes for World Championship victory, Juliette Labous believes the potential of Annemiek van Vleuten being forced to miss the this Saturday's road race would make for "a whole different race."

After going down hard in a freak accident at the start of Wednesday's Mixed Relay race, the favourite for the rainbow jersey, Annemiek van Vleuten suffered a fractured elbow. Despite reportedly taking a wait-and-see attitude for this Saturday, Labous' French team are already thinking of new plans "we will have to look at different strategies and to see what can be possible,”

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Joined by her compatriots Evita Muzic, Marie Le Net and Aude Biannic, the 23-year-old Labous goes to Wollongong with a growing reputation as one of the best climbers in the women's peloton. Overall winner at the Vuelta a Burgos this year along with a stage at the Giro D'Italia and despite just missing out on the podium at the Tour de France Femmes, Labous is full of confidence, “I just want to go for a medal and I want to give everything," she said. "Everybody is super motivated, and I feel that confidence and it gives me extra motivation.”

Giving her thoughts on what will potentially be the decisive feature of the Wollongong course, Mount Kiera, Labous seemed to agree that this indeed will be where the touch paper is lit, "I have been to see Mount Keira and I think that it will actually explode over there." She said. "I would say that it’s not for me but after six times the puncheurs will have a little bit less so I’m excited."

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