Sunday 27 September 2015 22:52, UK
Lizzie Armitstead says she is now “all in for Rio” after becoming only the fourth Briton to win the women’s world road race title on Saturday.
The 26-year-old claimed the rainbow jersey in a sprint finish in Richmond in the United States.
It was the biggest win of her career, but she has already got her sights on bettering it in the Olympic Games road race in Brazil next summer.
Armitstead said: "That would surpass this if I could achieve that. That will be my focus now for the next 12 months. All in for Rio."
Armitstead has established herself as one of the leading female cyclists in the world over the past three years, but up until Saturday, she had not attained the results her talent deserved.
She finished second in the Olympic road race in London in 2012 and then missed out on victory in last year's world road race due to a tactical oversight.
Those demons were put to bed in Richmond, when she crossed the line in tears after a perfectly executed final 3km.
Armitstead added: "I have got in trouble from a few people for not putting my hands up in the air.
"It was absolute shock. You have got all that 130km of being totally focused and as soon as you cross the line it takes a few seconds to realise what's happened.
"All the failures I have had in the past, ups and downs, just makes it more special."
