Lizzie Armitstead's belief was key to world title win, says Shane Sutton
Last Updated: 28/09/15 1:09pm
Shane Sutton says Lizzie Armitstead's increased self-belief was the key to her historic win in the women's World Championship road race in the United States on Saturday.
Armitstead sprinted to victory ahead of Anna van der Breggen and Megan Guarnier in Richmond to become only the fourth British woman to win the rainbow jersey.
The triumph came three years after she was pipped to victory in the Olympic road race in London by Marianne Vos and 12 months after a tactical oversight ended her chances of winning the 2014 world road race.
Sutton, who is British Cycling's technical director, believes Armitstead is now more confident than ever and reaped the rewards on Saturday.
He told Sky Sports News HQ: "It was the magnitude of it, given that she was the red-hot favourite. The way she dealt with it, and the conditions - it was a superb win.
"Her belief systems have grown over time and if you continue to put yourself in the frame, you start to believe more and more.
"The way she went on the attack in that last 1km and then led it into the home straight, in cycling terms, to do that took something very special. To go as long as she did on the climb, to regroup, stay on the front, make the right gear selection, and to finish it off the way she did, it goes down to her belief that she is the best athlete in the world in women's cycling and it's great to see."
While Armitstead celebrated victory, Britain's men were not so successful 24 hours later. Ian Stannard was aggressive throughout the race but eventually finished 51st, while Ben Swift was the highest finisher in 22nd.
However, Sutton believes there were positives to take and is optimistic about Britain's chances of winning a medal in the men's Olympic road race next summer.
He added: "We had a lot of injuries. Chris Froome is obviously a Tour winner, the likes of Geraint Thomas and the great himself, Mark Cavendish - it really put us on the back foot.
"The boys did a credible job. They performed well. Ian Stannard was at the forefront of everything going on there. He probably could have kept his powder a little bit dry into the closing laps, but everyone is happy with that result.
"We know that we are going to go to Rio with that squad and they are predominantly Team Sky riders representing Great Britain, and we are going to be in there with a big chance of a medal in Rio."
