BBC One: Day 11: 07:45-11:45

:00:43. > :00:47.A very good morning to you from Glasgow Green on this, the very last

:00:48. > :00:52.day of competition at the Commonwealth Games. It really has

:00:53. > :00:56.flown by, hasn't it? But there are still 11 gold medals on offer today.

:00:57. > :01:00.Of course, tonight will be the closing ceremony at Hampden Park but

:01:01. > :01:03.two of those gold medals will come in the street of Glasgow in the

:01:04. > :01:10.men's and women's road race is forced up at 8am, in just 15 minutes

:01:11. > :01:18.time, the women will be first. Watch out for England's Lizzie Armitstead.

:01:19. > :01:31.And the likes of Laura Trott, Dani King, going for Scotland. The men,

:01:32. > :01:36.the 12 laps, roughly 100 miles. 8am the women, 12pm for the men. The

:01:37. > :01:41.women first, if you cast your minds back to 2012, Lizzie Armitstead in

:01:42. > :01:45.the rain who took Team GB's first medal, it was a silver medal. Two

:01:46. > :01:50.years before that it was also a silver medal for Lizzie, and in

:01:51. > :01:51.people 's mind, she is the first one to step up and make it gold in

:01:52. > :02:07.Glasgow. Vos is at the front, Armitstead is

:02:08. > :02:14.trying to get in front! Both riders looking for the line, where is the

:02:15. > :02:19.gold medal going to go? Vos gets gold. Armitstead gets silver. I

:02:20. > :02:22.think it will be hard to top that but I feel like a lot has changed in

:02:23. > :02:28.two years. I feel like a different athlete. I feel like a different

:02:29. > :02:31.person. London capsular did the whole of Great Britain and now that

:02:32. > :02:36.we have Glasgow, it has only been two years and I think that the

:02:37. > :02:39.atmosphere will roll on -- London encapsulated the whole of Great

:02:40. > :02:44.Britain. Although it is Scotland, it feels like a home Games to me, only

:02:45. > :02:47.a couple of hours up the road. Everyone who was at London has the

:02:48. > :02:56.opportunity to watch me in Glasgow as well. Delighted with 2014. 2013

:02:57. > :03:00.and I am happy to forget about. It has definitely turned around this

:03:01. > :03:04.season. I had a good winter and I was in good shape right from the

:03:05. > :03:07.very beginning. It was really important for me personally, because

:03:08. > :03:12.you can convince yourself that an Olympic medal is a fluke if you

:03:13. > :03:15.really want to, but obviously it wasn't. I worked very hard for it

:03:16. > :03:18.and I just had a bad season last year and it was nice to be a will to

:03:19. > :03:22.come back and get that confidence again, that when I do have a good

:03:23. > :03:28.run of health and consistent training that I am capable of being

:03:29. > :03:30.the best. Cycling is a team sport. It is very difficult to explain to

:03:31. > :03:34.people because there is only one medal at the end of the day, but

:03:35. > :03:41.without a strong team then your chances are 50% less. I went to the

:03:42. > :03:46.Commonwealth Games in India, and actually really enjoyed it. Who is

:03:47. > :03:50.going to take it on the line? The gold medal is going to Australia! It

:03:51. > :03:56.was more a case of experiencing things. I was a lot younger then. I

:03:57. > :04:01.think Lizzie Armitstead may have just taken a silver medal. I came

:04:02. > :04:06.away from Delhi happy but I would not be happy with a silver this

:04:07. > :04:09.time. I am not used to the pressure and all the other things that come

:04:10. > :04:13.along with being a favourite but I will try to embrace it. Logically

:04:14. > :04:17.now, sat here, I know that I am capable of it so maybe I will try to

:04:18. > :04:23.watch this interview back the night before. Yes, a big day for Lizzie

:04:24. > :04:28.Armitstead. Chris Boardman alongside me. Lizzie has had a great year so

:04:29. > :04:33.far. It is really set up for her, isn't it? I think so, which might be

:04:34. > :04:36.a problem of course, she has hardly been out of the top five since the

:04:37. > :04:41.start of the season, so she is the hot favourite which means she will

:04:42. > :04:47.be heavily marked. The course is good for her, lots of ramps. For

:04:48. > :04:54.people at home who don't know road racing, when you say marks, what do

:04:55. > :04:58.you mean? You can sit behind somebody in cycling and spend maybe

:04:59. > :05:02.30 or 40% less energy than them. If you know somebody is strong, you

:05:03. > :05:07.stick behind them and then try to take over them in the sprint. The

:05:08. > :05:13.other factor for Lizzie is that she raced a week ago in Paris, and had a

:05:14. > :05:17.nasty fall. She was well set up then. I was working on the race and

:05:18. > :05:21.watching her, and she looked me in good form and hunting for the win.

:05:22. > :05:24.Just over a kilometre to go, she got involved in a bit of a stack and

:05:25. > :05:27.that was the end of the weekend for her, but at least we know the form

:05:28. > :05:31.is there. One of the things we know about road racing is that you need a

:05:32. > :05:37.good team, and Lizzie has a team of all stars.

:05:38. > :05:48.Here comes Pooley, come on Emma Pooley. Armitstead is going for the

:05:49. > :05:58.line! Armitstead gets silver, they are on fire! Dani King, Laura Trott

:05:59. > :06:03.and Joanna Rowsell. The gold medal is going to go to Laura Trott! It

:06:04. > :06:07.went down to the wire. It is Laura Trott for a loan, Laura Trott who

:06:08. > :06:15.gets it, right on the line! Laura Trott, -- Laura Trott for England.

:06:16. > :06:21.She is now the women's Commonwealth points champion as well.

:06:22. > :06:28.Yes, Chris, quite a team. Laura Trott, who won the national road

:06:29. > :06:32.race, Emma Pooley, who just got silver in the time trial. Lizzie

:06:33. > :06:35.will be well protected. These would normally be the people she is

:06:36. > :06:41.competing against and I have to wonder, maybe a bit mischievous, but

:06:42. > :06:46.if they all come to the final climb with just over 2.5 kilometres to go,

:06:47. > :06:51.whether those rules will change. I don't know. They are all winners,

:06:52. > :06:56.that is the problem, in the same team. They are by far the strongest.

:06:57. > :07:00.I think it will be difficult to take that instinct away. So England

:07:01. > :07:03.perhaps the strongest team, Australia, a lot of people talking

:07:04. > :07:10.about them, I don't think they have ever lost a women's road race

:07:11. > :07:13.title, have they? They are very good at racing as a team. Tiffany

:07:14. > :07:20.Cromwell, one they are touting as their leader, nominally so, I have

:07:21. > :07:26.riders who can go in all day. There is no out and out winner but they

:07:27. > :07:28.have lots of strong, riders. Scotland and Wales, Katie Archibald

:07:29. > :07:34.and Elinor Barker, they both look good on the track. Katie Archibald

:07:35. > :07:39.really fought hard on that time trial. She is clearly on form, she

:07:40. > :07:45.has an opportunity, both of them have, to show what they can do with

:07:46. > :07:48.the very best competition here. You might find that while all the

:07:49. > :07:53.favourites are quite concentrated on watching each other, they take the

:07:54. > :08:01.opportunity to slip away. You also have the time trial champion from

:08:02. > :08:08.few days ago, Linda Villumsen. Again, if you let her slip away, it

:08:09. > :08:12.will be very difficult to pull back. One issue for Lizzie, which she has

:08:13. > :08:17.mentioned herself, the length of this course, around 60 miles,

:08:18. > :08:21.relatively short for a road race. It is. I don't think it will change the

:08:22. > :08:25.result, personally. You might just find there are slightly more people

:08:26. > :08:30.there in at the death but it is a fascinating course for them. I think

:08:31. > :08:34.it will bring out the best racing. I am going to let you go to the

:08:35. > :08:36.commentary box, and we are going to look at the Diarra girder Boardman

:08:37. > :08:48.course guide. We are on the edge of the Trossachs

:08:49. > :08:58.National Park, surrounded by beautiful countryside and

:08:59. > :09:01.challenging rides. Is a street circuit really enough to find worthy

:09:02. > :09:06.Commonwealth champions? I will look at the course and find out. All I

:09:07. > :09:12.need is a swift steeds to carry me around.

:09:13. > :09:24.There are no distinct hills to speak of on the circuit, which will be

:09:25. > :09:32.completed 12 times by the men and seven by the women, to make a total

:09:33. > :09:35.race distance of 168 and 90 kilometres respectively. It does not

:09:36. > :09:43.mean there is not any climbing, and it is all hidden from Plainview.

:09:44. > :09:53.Spread evenly over the 14th, two circuit, six small inclines, none of

:09:54. > :09:57.them more than a few metres long -- few 100 metres long, but some start

:09:58. > :10:01.from a dead turn. That will kill all of the riders's speed and gear

:10:02. > :10:06.selection, and placing near the front will be absolutely critical.

:10:07. > :10:17.In fact, during the men's race, they will tackle 84 of these, that's 609

:10:18. > :10:21.metres of climbing per lap -- 609 feet of climbing. So nobody will be

:10:22. > :10:27.able to sit in and wait for the sprint.

:10:28. > :10:34.As if all that was not enough to deal with, I counted 38 distinct

:10:35. > :10:37.corners they are going to have to negotiate on each and every lap, and

:10:38. > :10:45.none of them more important than this one. At 2.5 kilometres to go as

:10:46. > :10:49.they enter Rottenrow. It is an easy left-hander that it takes them onto

:10:50. > :10:53.a steep and cobbled assent. It might only be a short section but these

:10:54. > :10:56.smooth, slippery corals have got the organisers so worried they have

:10:57. > :11:00.covered the majority of them up where the riders will be doing most

:11:01. > :11:05.of their braking, with this gritty surface will stuff they will take a

:11:06. > :11:09.pretty much dogleg right hand to a wide road that will take them down

:11:10. > :11:13.to the park. In normal conditions a corner like this would not give

:11:14. > :11:17.riders too many difficulties. In normal conditions. And that is

:11:18. > :11:20.because the cobbled and paved sections of the course, like

:11:21. > :11:24.Buchanan Street, normally pedestrianised, are incredibly

:11:25. > :11:31.slippery when wet, as you may have noticed by the full waterproof

:11:32. > :11:36.clothes, rain is forecast for the event itself. Both ends of the

:11:37. > :11:40.course had abruptly into some of Glasgow's beautiful parks. They are

:11:41. > :11:43.lovely to look at but for the athletes they represent a sudden

:11:44. > :11:47.bottleneck that will force those too far back to brake sharply, and they

:11:48. > :11:54.will have to sprint to get back in. So stay in the first 20 to 30, that

:11:55. > :11:59.will be critical. I think this circuit around the iconic streets of

:12:00. > :12:02.Glasgow is absolutely magnificent. It has got everything we could

:12:03. > :12:06.possibly want in a championship circuit and will find a worthy

:12:07. > :12:10.winner, and to win here you are not only going to need to be physically

:12:11. > :12:16.strong but technically skilled, and tactically very astute. I think we

:12:17. > :12:21.should ride the race on these bikes, personally...

:12:22. > :12:27.Yes, it looks like a great course and one that has gained lots of

:12:28. > :12:32.products. Expect a fast and aggressive race. As you can see, the

:12:33. > :12:36.women are out on the start line, the highly, off in three or four minutes

:12:37. > :12:42.time. Jill Douglas, before we go to the race start, has a very

:12:43. > :12:49.interesting guest with her. Let's see if Armitstead gets through...

:12:50. > :12:53.Weather conditions here are a bit different to when you won the gold

:12:54. > :12:58.medal in Delhi four years ago, so you are the current reigning

:12:59. > :13:04.Commonwealth champion, what are your memories of that day? It was hot and

:13:05. > :13:08.muggy that day, and I already had two silver medals from Manchester

:13:09. > :13:12.and Melbourne, so to win the gold in Delhi was pretty special for me. The

:13:13. > :13:19.Australians come here again with a very strong team. Yes, the pressure

:13:20. > :13:23.is on. I hope they can hold onto the gold medal but it will be a tough

:13:24. > :13:26.race. They say will be a bit of chaos out there. Everybody wants a

:13:27. > :13:31.hard race because Lizzie Armitstead is one the favourites. The

:13:32. > :13:36.Australians will have to raise hard. You have a number of riders riding

:13:37. > :13:40.here but all the different patients. Yes, I have mixed emotions but at

:13:41. > :13:44.the end of the day I have more chances of winning and feeling like

:13:45. > :13:47.a winner today, because I have two riders in the Welsh team, the

:13:48. > :13:52.English team and the New Zealand team. I would like Australia to

:13:53. > :13:56.bring home the gold medal. Mixed feelings, but I think it will be a

:13:57. > :14:00.really, really strong and exciting race. Let's look at Lizzie

:14:01. > :14:03.Armitstead, silver medal in the limpet road race, she crashed last

:14:04. > :14:12.week in Paris in that big race there. -- the Olympic road race.

:14:13. > :14:16.Howedes think she held up after the crash in Paris? All word is saying

:14:17. > :14:21.Lizzie has recovered from the crash was. She has stitches in her elbow.

:14:22. > :14:24.I saw the crash and even in slow motion it was a really hard crash.

:14:25. > :14:31.In my opinion, it has got to be playing in the back of Lizzie's

:14:32. > :14:34.mind. She lost the national championships a few weeks ago which

:14:35. > :14:39.has probably dented her confident a little bit but she was the strongest

:14:40. > :14:42.rider in the race, and she is probably the longest -- strong list

:14:43. > :14:47.rider along with Linda Villumsen and Emma Pooley in this race. That cross

:14:48. > :14:52.last week and has probably knocked around a little bit. I think Lizzie

:14:53. > :14:56.is feeling a lot of pressure -- that crashed last week. She can hopefully

:14:57. > :15:03.treat it like any other race because she has got good fitness and good

:15:04. > :15:07.form. So the scene is set. Can Lizzie Armitstead turn what was

:15:08. > :15:18.silver in Delhi and silver in London to gold in Glasgow?

:15:19. > :15:22.women's road race, the weather appearing markedly better than

:15:23. > :15:28.yesterday, where it rained for most of the day and also in the night.

:15:29. > :15:32.The road is still greasy. As you can see, Laura Trott in the centre, Emma

:15:33. > :15:36.Pooley, on the right, the silver medallist from Thursday in the time

:15:37. > :15:42.trial. We have got a strong feel for this one. It promises to be a very

:15:43. > :15:45.competitive race. -- strong field. I get the oppression, Chris, that they

:15:46. > :15:50.will be looking to thin out the field as quickly as possible. They

:15:51. > :15:58.are certainly going to have the opportunity, as they rode away. --

:15:59. > :16:03.roll away. They have got 38 terms on this course, as I saw yesterday. It

:16:04. > :16:07.is still wet. It is going to string out very quickly, and they are going

:16:08. > :16:12.to encounter short, sharp climbs, spaced roughly equally, six of them,

:16:13. > :16:16.around the course, which will help to see off some of the riders. I

:16:17. > :16:21.think it will be somewhat attritional. The course is

:16:22. > :16:24.deceptively undulating, more climbing than would at first appear.

:16:25. > :16:29.The riders are heading out through the green. The finish is exactly the

:16:30. > :16:40.same as for the time trials, the other day. As we were mentioning,

:16:41. > :16:45.the roads are still wet, here. In a kilometre or so, they will be going

:16:46. > :16:49.to Dungannon Street, normally pedestrianised, but with smooth

:16:50. > :16:53.paving. We were looking at that this morning. The right-hand turn from

:16:54. > :16:56.Argyle Street into the pedestrianised area of Buchanan

:16:57. > :17:01.Street will be very interesting if it rains again. One of the Kenyan

:17:02. > :17:08.riders, there, just a little late of the start line. She will have two

:17:09. > :17:17.catch up soon because the pace is only going to get faster from here.

:17:18. > :17:24.-- have to catch up. 98, does, a pretty short race. Seven laps of

:17:25. > :17:32.this 14, to circuit. -- 14 kilometre circuit. Mostly at the moment, these

:17:33. > :17:36.are quiet streets of the city centre of Glasgow, although when we wander

:17:37. > :17:39.down and our so ago, there were a fair number of people here but I

:17:40. > :17:43.don't think they were out early to get their spot on the barriers. Some

:17:44. > :17:48.of them had a very good Saturday night out and it was only just

:17:49. > :17:52.coming to an end. We can see, they are on very wide roads, now. That is

:17:53. > :17:57.the nature of this course, it chops and changes. There are elements when

:17:58. > :18:02.they go into parks, at either end of the course, and it suddenly gets

:18:03. > :18:06.extremely narrow. They are on one of the main shopping streets, Argyle

:18:07. > :18:10.Street. As you suggest, it gets a bit narrow. They are going onto a

:18:11. > :18:13.cobbled section and there is a chicane that they will come to

:18:14. > :18:22.shortly. Just a little pink in the road, right in the centre of the

:18:23. > :18:25.city. There we go. -- a little kink. Heading towards the right-hand

:18:26. > :18:35.turn of the pedestrianised Buchanan Street. Certain teams already to the

:18:36. > :18:38.fore, wanting to check out these corners themselves, and the race

:18:39. > :18:40.conditions. It has dried out slightly. They are quite tentative,

:18:41. > :18:53.just being careful. The nature of the course as much as

:18:54. > :18:55.anything, with that term, meaning the field strung out as they took

:18:56. > :19:04.the right-hander, up Buchanan Street. It is difficult to move up

:19:05. > :19:08.once it strings out like this. It takes a considerable amount of

:19:09. > :19:11.energy. Sometimes it is worth the extra work to stay at the front,

:19:12. > :19:15.even though you are working harder than you would be a few riders back

:19:16. > :19:19.because it keeps you out of trouble and you don't have the constant

:19:20. > :19:22.acceleration and deceleration. You can see the riders at the back cover

:19:23. > :19:29.was come to a standstill and then have to spring to catch back-up. If

:19:30. > :19:34.you are near the front, you are working harder but it is a nice,

:19:35. > :19:37.easy pace. The first incline at St Vincent Street, they are a couple of

:19:38. > :19:38.blocks north of the central Glasgow railway station.

:19:39. > :19:41.Vincent Street, they are a couple of blocks north of the central As you

:19:42. > :19:47.can see, the riders from Australia and New Zealand, and one or two from

:19:48. > :19:51.England, and Joyce Muthoni Mwangi has not been able to get back onto

:19:52. > :19:55.the rear of the peloton. For as long as she is able to remain in the

:19:56. > :20:00.race, she will effectively be riding an individual time trial, here, on

:20:01. > :20:05.the streets. As you can see, a noticeably different pace at the

:20:06. > :20:09.front of the peloton are ready. -- already. The other macro I think

:20:10. > :20:14.you'll find we lose half a dozen riders at least in the first lap the

:20:15. > :20:21.cause. They are strong back out. It is steeper than it looks, this,

:20:22. > :20:27.probably a 10% gradient. Tamiko Butler, the Antigua Barbuda rider,

:20:28. > :20:32.will show her face as long as possible at the front of the race.

:20:33. > :20:36.It already looks a long time for Joyce Muthoni Mwangi. This is the

:20:37. > :20:41.first climb of very many in this race. Quite a few short, sharp

:20:42. > :20:46.inclines, as you will see as the laps go by. Seven laps, here, for

:20:47. > :20:59.the women. They are slowly heading towards Kelvingrove Park. Swinging

:21:00. > :21:02.around into Elm bank Street, there. Nice shots of the city at the

:21:03. > :21:07.moment. The clouds are gathering but we have not got any rain at the

:21:08. > :21:11.moment. It looks very hit and miss. We will have showers throughout the

:21:12. > :21:15.day, forecast. That will have an impact on the race. At the moment,

:21:16. > :21:20.you can see that the roads are still a little bit damp in places. Emma

:21:21. > :21:25.Pooley, coming up on the left in the red and white. And more riders

:21:26. > :21:28.dropping out of the back of the race. Carol du-Pont and Linda

:21:29. > :21:44.Loffler from Swaziland. Very cautiously taking the corner.

:21:45. > :21:48.Up towards Charing Cross Station. Dani King, in the centre of the

:21:49. > :21:52.picture, and very strong teams from New Zealand and Australia, like

:21:53. > :21:56.Chloe Hosking Frosterley, who got a bronze medal four years ago, saying

:21:57. > :22:01.she hoped this is her redemption day. The last time she was riding in

:22:02. > :22:04.a major race in the UK, a couple of years ago, the limbic scum she said

:22:05. > :22:08.she did not cope with the pressure well and it did not go well for her

:22:09. > :22:11.and she is looking to make amends. Linda Villumsen looked in fantastic

:22:12. > :22:15.form on Thursday when she finally got to the top step of the podium,

:22:16. > :22:19.adding a gold medal to all the silver and bronze medals she has won

:22:20. > :22:24.at World Championship level. She was not far-away in the Olympics road

:22:25. > :22:30.race, finishing fifth. I can't help thinking this is not an ideal course

:22:31. > :22:33.for her. As you say, she broke the duck and got herself onto the top

:22:34. > :22:37.step of the podium which was wonderful to see, a few days ago.

:22:38. > :22:42.The Australian team have got real strength in depth. Chloe Hosking has

:22:43. > :22:47.got to fancy their chances. She prefers this kind of course. I think

:22:48. > :22:51.Dani King in the English team or have been charged with keeping

:22:52. > :22:55.things under control early in the race. Dani King is at the front at

:22:56. > :22:58.the moment as they go through Kelvingrove Park, up by where the

:22:59. > :23:05.bowls has been held during the games. Still a little bit greasy

:23:06. > :23:18.underneath the branches of the trees.

:23:19. > :23:22.saying, in the Australian squad. Tiffany Cromwell, who was ninth in

:23:23. > :23:27.the World Championship last year, Gracie Elvin, the road race

:23:28. > :23:33.champion, winning last week. Katrin Garfoot had the bronze medal in the

:23:34. > :23:41.time trial, and Gillow as well, finishing in sixth place. Melissa

:23:42. > :23:46.Hoskins, as well, the 23-year-old. Really stringing out at the back

:23:47. > :23:50.already, here. Probably about 40 riders in the bunch before the tail.

:23:51. > :23:55.We have lost five or ten riders before the end of the first lap. It

:23:56. > :24:01.is actually quite a strong pace, as they exit Kelvingrove Park. Heading

:24:02. > :24:05.out towards the far end of the course, near Glasgow University.

:24:06. > :24:15.Right into the heart of the West End.

:24:16. > :24:19.They will climb away from the river, towards the top end of the

:24:20. > :24:26.course, quite quickly, now they are out of the park. Then they will head

:24:27. > :24:33.back through some technical sections. Hannah Barnes races for

:24:34. > :24:38.the United health care team in the US these days, eighth in the women's

:24:39. > :24:43.Tour, the very successful inaugural women's Tour in Britain, held in

:24:44. > :24:49.May. Enormous crowds on the stages, there, particularly in the finishing

:24:50. > :24:53.areas. A very popular race, won by Marianne Voss. We can see very

:24:54. > :24:57.clearly that England have shown early in this race the strategy. We

:24:58. > :25:02.have heard that they will be riding for Lizzie Armitstead. Hannah Barnes

:25:03. > :25:10.and Dani King have been charged with the early work. Already, we have got

:25:11. > :25:14.more than ten riders in trouble. Bianca Hern old, who was riding on

:25:15. > :25:19.the track and read the time trial the other day. And both Sri Lanka

:25:20. > :25:25.riders, Wickramasingha, there, finding it tough. Claire

:25:26. > :25:28.Fraser-Green from Dayan, and also down towards the back end of the

:25:29. > :25:34.field, Marina Bleasdale from Guernsey. -- Fraser-Green, from

:25:35. > :25:46.Dayan. Already, this race proving very

:25:47. > :25:55.difficult. You can see how steep some of these short climbs are.

:25:56. > :26:03.Some of them are getting on for 20% gradient. This is really thinning

:26:04. > :26:07.out the field already, stringing them out around the circuit. A

:26:08. > :26:14.reminder, seven laps, 98 kilometres, for the women's race.

:26:15. > :26:42.It is turn after turn after turn, on the streets. You can see the width

:26:43. > :26:49.changing all the time as well. It is one of those races where you have to

:26:50. > :26:53.expend quite a lot of energy as the first 20 riders, keeping the pace

:26:54. > :26:58.up, straight into the descent. There is no time for Beagle to regroup at

:26:59. > :27:07.all. This group of riders is maybe 100 metres long, now. -- there is no

:27:08. > :27:10.time for you to regroup at all. They are able to get some speed up along

:27:11. > :27:18.Gibson Street, and they are heading into Woodlands Road shortly. They

:27:19. > :27:26.will take the sharp turn into the park quadrant. It is almost a

:27:27. > :27:30.gratuitous loop, around some beautiful housing in Glasgow. It is

:27:31. > :27:35.a great present the Tour indeed. Perhaps not for them, when they do

:27:36. > :27:40.the sharp right hand turn. Maybe we will get to see it. They are about

:27:41. > :27:46.to turn right, they have almost doubled back on themselves, in about

:27:47. > :27:51.100 metres from now. And then they will head up towards Parc Circus.

:27:52. > :28:09.Here we go, there is the turn. A very difficult course, but not in

:28:10. > :28:14.a normal way. Just these small ramps, all the time, one after the

:28:15. > :28:19.other, some just 100 or 200 metres long, and then straight into a

:28:20. > :28:22.descent. It is whittling down this field incredibly quickly. We are

:28:23. > :28:27.just a few kilometres into the race, just over half a lap, and already, I

:28:28. > :28:47.would say, 20% of the field has been distanced. There we are, Parc Circus

:28:48. > :28:51.-- Park Circus in the centre. As Chris was saying, you can see how

:28:52. > :29:02.the field has been whittled down in this last lap also. -- also.

:29:03. > :29:16.It won't be long before they head down Lynne Dock Street, before

:29:17. > :29:23.turning right and then heading back into the centre of the city, but

:29:24. > :29:30.that Street is cobbled. It looks as though the cobbles will become very

:29:31. > :29:37.smooth if it rains. They have taken measures for that. It does not need

:29:38. > :29:40.much to start a slide. You can see the wheel tracks of the riders and

:29:41. > :29:45.so there is still quite a lot of water on the roads. A brief look at

:29:46. > :29:49.the small group containing Claire Oakley, off the back, the rider from

:29:50. > :29:53.Northern Ireland, and Emma Pooley. Up towards the front of the race,

:29:54. > :29:57.Hannah Barnes on there as well, and Australia making sure they have got

:29:58. > :30:06.somebody monitoring events on the front of the peloton. I had a look

:30:07. > :30:15.at this course yesterday, and it looked like it was a simple street

:30:16. > :30:18.circuit. It looks different yesterday anyway for a number of

:30:19. > :30:29.reasons, mainly due to the horizontal rain falling down. 200

:30:30. > :30:30.feet plus of climbing in this race. No distinct claims that they have to

:30:31. > :30:33.go up No distinct claims that they have to

:30:34. > :30:37.go but all of these short ramps are adding up, and combined with the

:30:38. > :30:50.corners, it is a very, very physical course. Clear

:30:51. > :31:03.heading right back into the centre of the city now.

:31:04. > :31:11.The riders from New Zealand up towards the front. Rushlee Buchanan

:31:12. > :31:19.as well and from the Isle of Man, Laura Wasley. At the moment, Dani

:31:20. > :31:27.King in the centre of Laura Wasley. At the moment, Dani

:31:28. > :31:33.Emma Pooley on the right. Really starting to thin out. Anna Christian

:31:34. > :31:39.from the Isle of Man, a really promising young rider, shortly to

:31:40. > :31:44.turn 19. Still in that lead group. That is now down to about 20, 25

:31:45. > :31:50.riders tops, out of a field of well over 60 at the start, 63 riders, so

:31:51. > :31:58.that is incredible. We are down to nearly a third of the field left. It

:31:59. > :32:04.does look to me as if they are heading down towards Nelson Mandela

:32:05. > :32:13.Place. It is a fast, fast road down here. Switch left and right shortly.

:32:14. > :32:18.You can get some good speed up here before heading through a little

:32:19. > :32:23.square of Nelson Mandela Plays, in towards George Street. They will go

:32:24. > :32:30.across the top of Buchanan Street, part of Buchanan Street. They have a

:32:31. > :32:39.nasty surprise coming up, as they go hard left. In the Montrose Street.

:32:40. > :32:43.Yes, the route really kicks up, short, sharp and not so pleasant at

:32:44. > :32:49.all that will become more noticeable the laps go by. This left-hander, I

:32:50. > :32:55.think it is actually the steepest climb on the circuit. It comes just

:32:56. > :33:01.a few short kph the finish. It is the last hill they have to negotiate

:33:02. > :33:12.before they come back down to the park, Glasgow Green. Hoskins at the

:33:13. > :33:18.front for Australia. She is a world bronze medallist on the track in the

:33:19. > :33:22.team pursuit. Major successes have come on the track. Silver medallist

:33:23. > :33:28.as well from the scratch race couple of years ago in the worlds. Just

:33:29. > :33:33.gives you eight limbs of how steep that is. You can see how high they

:33:34. > :33:40.have climbed in probably 15 seconds of riding. There is Libby Armitstead

:33:41. > :33:43.-- Lizzie Armitstead with the orange tinted glasses, and that gives you

:33:44. > :33:47.some idea of the gradient these riders are having to overcome here.

:33:48. > :33:53.It is not a long climb but it really knocks you out of your stride. The

:33:54. > :33:56.difficulty for the backmarkers is it tips over image Lee and there is no

:33:57. > :34:00.real respite for them to try to get back on. You can see this bunch is

:34:01. > :34:04.whittling down to 20, 25 riders every time they hit one of these

:34:05. > :34:07.ramps, and then slowly people are clawing their way back but they can

:34:08. > :34:15.probably only do that ten times in this race before they can no longer

:34:16. > :34:21.make contact. Karina Bowie of Guernsey finding it tough. One of

:34:22. > :34:27.the riders from the Isle of Man too into some difficulties. Laura

:34:28. > :34:34.Wasley. Meanwhile, at the front of the peloton... They are coming down

:34:35. > :34:41.to set up for the turn into Rottenrow. Only 50 metres of road.

:34:42. > :34:47.You can see it from the helicopter shot. They have resurfaced the

:34:48. > :34:51.cobbled streets with a grippy material because it will be so

:34:52. > :34:55.dangerous when wet to get the riders around the corner. Onto the cobbles,

:34:56. > :35:01.another patch of the special service, as they turn back off, the

:35:02. > :35:05.descent back down to the park. They will almost have completed their

:35:06. > :35:13.first lap now. Back down the high Street, past the high Street

:35:14. > :35:19.station. This nice, wide, sweeping descent. Hannah Barnes in the blue

:35:20. > :35:25.and white hat there. Emma Pooley up towards the front. Hoskins as well.

:35:26. > :35:37.Just a bit further up, Halbwach of Mauritius, number 32. Once you have

:35:38. > :35:46.lost contact, it is very difficult to get back on terms. Just trying to

:35:47. > :35:52.hold onto the back of the peloton, News Olivier from South Africa. --

:35:53. > :36:01.Lisa Olivier. They are close to Glasgow Green at the end of the

:36:02. > :36:07.first lap. Twisting through the park too, Simon, with some changing

:36:08. > :36:11.widths of road. We saw a couple of right-hand bends inside the party at

:36:12. > :36:15.Glasgow Green, way you do need to take care. We were noting on

:36:16. > :36:19.Thursday that it could be a bit tricky, if the roads were greasy and

:36:20. > :36:26.wet, but thankfully, as you can see, the weather has much improved over

:36:27. > :36:29.the last 12 hours or so. Very, very wet here yesterday. Dani King on the

:36:30. > :36:34.right-hand side of the green. Anna Christian there on the far left, in

:36:35. > :36:41.the black of the Isle of Man with the yellow and red trim. We have a

:36:42. > :36:47.lot of the good riders right at the front here. It is the kind of course

:36:48. > :36:50.where you have to be attentive, and work the extra energy at least for

:36:51. > :36:53.the first couple of laps as they get a feel for this circuit and the race

:36:54. > :36:59.conditions. They all will have ridden around these roads already.

:37:00. > :37:12.Never with barriers like this, where they have the whole use of the road.

:37:13. > :37:34.Anna Christian on the front at the moment.

:37:35. > :37:46.river now. You have to be careful on this left-hander. To the bottom edge

:37:47. > :37:56.of the park, before they take the smooth curve around to bring them

:37:57. > :37:59.into the finishing straight. You can see Katie Archibald in the blue of

:38:00. > :38:08.Scotland right at the back of this leading peloton. She has had an

:38:09. > :38:12.excellent Commonwealth Games with the bronze medal in the points race.

:38:13. > :38:21.She has finished in the top five in every race she has taken part in.

:38:22. > :38:24.This is her fifth event here. We have not mentioned the riders from

:38:25. > :38:26.Wales either, they have Elinor Barker, Hayley Jones and Amy

:38:27. > :38:44.Roberts. Here we go, then, almost at the end

:38:45. > :38:52.of the first lap, Lizzie Armitstead staying out of trouble, right at the

:38:53. > :38:56.front of the peloton. And the first lap of seven almost under their

:38:57. > :39:00.wheels. They have got rid of quite a few already. Hannah Barnes riding on

:39:01. > :39:04.the front, Dani King in the clear glass is right behind her, Emma

:39:05. > :39:13.Pooley on the left-hand side of the picture -- on the right-hand side of

:39:14. > :39:14.the picture. 23 minutes and 20 seconds the time for that opening

:39:15. > :39:23.lap. Riding on the front, Cherise Taylor

:39:24. > :39:46.for South Africa. -- Cheri Stander. I just wonder whether you expect to

:39:47. > :39:51.see activity, riders at the front of the race or whether it will be a

:39:52. > :39:55.steady whittling down process, attritional? I think that will be

:39:56. > :39:59.the case at the moment. Just getting a feel for the race. Everybody is

:40:00. > :40:07.always a bit nervous in the opening stages. One lap under their belt,

:40:08. > :40:12.you can see them visibly backing off a bit. We have removed a lot of

:40:13. > :40:16.riders from this race. There is, it has to be said, a big variety of

:40:17. > :40:19.abilities in the Commonwealth Games road race. That also makes the top

:40:20. > :40:24.riders, the professional riders, nervous, because they can get mixed

:40:25. > :40:28.in and cause crashes, so they tend to ride strongly in the first couple

:40:29. > :40:30.of laps, just whittle it down so that they are left with the

:40:31. > :40:38.experienced people they trust certainly on a circuit like this

:40:39. > :40:44.with these varied services. A good pace being set here, though. New

:40:45. > :40:52.Zealand have such a strong team here. Just about the home-based

:40:53. > :40:54.riders and -- it is not just about the home-based riders. New Zealand,

:40:55. > :41:00.who have had an excellent Commonwealth Games, very well

:41:01. > :41:10.represented here. Ashley Buchanan, Emily Collins, Jaime Nielsen. Reta

:41:11. > :41:17.Trotman. A very solid line-up. A line-up with bags of experience. We

:41:18. > :41:25.have got a glimpse of Laura Trott. Riding for England, the national

:41:26. > :41:33.champion. Jasmin Glaesser there, number ten, for Canada, just at the

:41:34. > :41:36.back of the peloton. Glaesser, with a couple of medals in the World

:41:37. > :41:44.Championships on the track this year.

:41:45. > :41:58.Just about to turn right now in the Buchanan Street once again.

:41:59. > :42:07.Just having a little look to see who that is just in front. Wondering

:42:08. > :42:12.whether it might be Katie Archibald towards the back of that group. In

:42:13. > :42:16.the middle of the picture. Interesting strategy, driving near

:42:17. > :42:22.the back on a circuit like this, but it is quite a small peloton now.

:42:23. > :42:31.Plenty of room to race for this number of riders. St Vincent Street

:42:32. > :42:35.coming up next. So there will be the first incline of the second lap now

:42:36. > :42:41.coming up, which the riders will see laying before them. A little shot of

:42:42. > :42:52.Belize Olivier from South Africa. A main group of about 40 riders now

:42:53. > :42:58.as we seen the first attack of the day. The first attack of the race.

:42:59. > :43:04.It looks to me as if it is Katrin Garfoot, Garfoot who is riding very

:43:05. > :43:11.well, with that medal in the time trial. She got herself a contract by

:43:12. > :43:16.the mid-season point with Oracle. The German born Australian. Very

:43:17. > :43:22.quickly the response comes from New Zealand. An interesting move from

:43:23. > :43:25.Australia so early in the race, not only -- they don't need to whittle

:43:26. > :43:34.this field down any more, perhaps just testing the water to see who

:43:35. > :43:39.would take the opportunity for a bit of daylight, but it was not to be.

:43:40. > :43:43.Look at all the riders in the red and white of England massed at the

:43:44. > :43:48.front. Another counterattack this time, Australia trying to go for it

:43:49. > :43:54.yet again. We said they had strength in depth and they seem to be intent

:43:55. > :44:00.on using that. Not going to favour any one individual here. Cromwell

:44:01. > :44:09.has been said to be the strongest of the bunch but I am not sure. Hannah

:44:10. > :44:15.Barnes is chasing her down. It looks to me as though it might be Katie

:44:16. > :44:23.Archibald leading the chase as well. It is Archibald in the blue of

:44:24. > :44:27.Scotland there, third in line. Shara Gillow on the front for Australia.

:44:28. > :44:34.Sixth in the time trial the other day. You have to admire the

:44:35. > :44:39.enthusiasm of Archibald, but it is early in the race to get involved in

:44:40. > :44:43.the chasing. You can see we are not seeing Lizzie Armitstead or

:44:44. > :44:52.Villumsen or any of the main contenders here getting involved. It

:44:53. > :44:55.is too early for them. Even if the breakaway were to make it, I don't

:44:56. > :45:03.think it would be sustainable, this far out from the finish. The attacks

:45:04. > :45:07.coming thick and fast from Australia. This is the third little

:45:08. > :45:12.dab of the front we have seen in the last couple of minutes or so. Very

:45:13. > :45:15.close to the curb on the outside. She's absolutely determined to move

:45:16. > :45:23.away. They have not stopped, have they? There is a few metres between

:45:24. > :45:29.them, a little bit of daylight. Cornering very well in these damp

:45:30. > :45:34.and changeable conditions. Melissa Hoskins, again chased down by Hannah

:45:35. > :45:40.Barnes. Barnes, sticking to the back wheel straightaway. There is a rider

:45:41. > :45:47.from South Africa trying to join in as well. Is it Ashleigh Moolman? The

:45:48. > :45:55.problem is, she will force a breakaway, but her companions don't

:45:56. > :45:59.necessarily want to ride with her. I believe that the England team orders

:46:00. > :46:03.are to ride for Lizzie Armitstead. Maybe they will change tactics as

:46:04. > :46:10.the race dictates. Those three have already got a lead of maybe four

:46:11. > :46:16.seconds, now. The first goal breakaway group of the race forming,

:46:17. > :46:23.here. It was animated and instigated by Melissa Hoskins. -- the first

:46:24. > :46:27.little breakaway. She is really riding hard, here, cornering faster

:46:28. > :46:37.than the camera motorbike can accelerate on these surfaces. Look

:46:38. > :46:43.at this, right on the edge. And Hannah Barnes nearly came down,

:46:44. > :46:47.there. It caused her to lose the wheel. She took the smooth stones

:46:48. > :46:55.surface of the guttering and it was enough to start a slide. She was

:46:56. > :47:00.very key to recover. -- very lucky. The riders are heading into the

:47:01. > :47:09.heart of the West End, on Lap 2. Barnes will be mighty relieved to

:47:10. > :47:15.have stayed upright, there. Just an University Avenue, and the chase

:47:16. > :47:20.being led by cash offer, from South Africa, who does not look as though

:47:21. > :47:33.she will be able to hold the wheel of the other two. -- An-Li

:47:34. > :47:36.Kachelhoffer. We can see the lead. 79 kilometres remaining, and there

:47:37. > :47:41.are the leading to but the gap is very small. They will have to work

:47:42. > :47:47.hard to distance this group. There's a lot of players not represented,

:47:48. > :47:51.being that there are just too, here. I'm surprised with skins. We mention

:47:52. > :47:55.at the start that she was a major favourite, and she is clearly on

:47:56. > :48:00.form, a good, technical rider for a course like this but playing her

:48:01. > :48:06.cards very early. Still the best part of two hours of racing

:48:07. > :48:13.remaining. This is the furthest part of the course from Glasgow Green,

:48:14. > :48:21.you. -- here. Explore matters into the second lap. 14 kilometre laps,

:48:22. > :48:26.now. Great George Street, and this is where the climb is, another one

:48:27. > :48:29.of those short, sharp ones, but for all the effort Hoskins is putting

:48:30. > :48:33.in, Barnes is making sure she does not get away, or if she does, she

:48:34. > :48:36.will have company. Asked marking the early moves in this race but they

:48:37. > :48:45.are not really gaining ground on the peloton. It is staying at roughly

:48:46. > :48:52.three or four seconds. Barnes, having to dig deep, here. Our camera

:48:53. > :48:59.is shortening the distance, somewhat. She rolled through to the

:49:00. > :49:03.front wants, which was surprising. But they will be giving no leeway

:49:04. > :49:11.whatsoever at this early stage of the race. Hoskins desist in, sitting

:49:12. > :49:14.up a bit at the top of the climb. The race is going to come back

:49:15. > :49:18.together again, or what is left of it because it is a sizeable

:49:19. > :49:28.whittling down process already in this first lap and a half.

:49:29. > :49:36.I don't think that is going to be the last we see of Hoskins. She has

:49:37. > :49:41.shown what she is capable of. Superb by candling skills we have seen,

:49:42. > :49:45.two, despite the changeable road surfaces, here. A great descent

:49:46. > :50:01.where they can really get some speed up, along Gibson Street.

:50:02. > :50:11.Well over 50 kilometres per hour, on that descent. A little bit further

:50:12. > :50:23.back, Cherise Stander, for South Africa.

:50:24. > :50:30.Still on that climb, about 30 seconds or so of the back of the

:50:31. > :50:31.peloton. She won't be seeing the peloton again, I would not have

:50:32. > :50:47.thought. 35 riders in the main group. Then we

:50:48. > :50:51.have got several stragglers, now. A time check at the 21 kilometre mark,

:50:52. > :51:02.and only 47 riders have been through that. Anna Christian, there are, for

:51:03. > :51:06.the Isle of Man. Just coming up to the front, the Isle of Man colours

:51:07. > :51:13.this year, very similar to New Zealand, just the banding on the

:51:14. > :51:15.sleeves separating them. Isle of Man will be well represented this

:51:16. > :51:23.afternoon in the men's race, including one of the favourites. I

:51:24. > :51:26.believe Mark Cavendish is the sporting director for the day,

:51:27. > :51:35.driving the following car, and I think he might be doing so in the

:51:36. > :51:37.women's race, as well. Well, the Australian team clearly looking to

:51:38. > :51:43.animate the race from a long way out, here. This is the fourth attack

:51:44. > :51:49.we have seen on the second lap. Dani King is charged with policing

:51:50. > :51:55.matters this time. So, England, the strongest team on paper, seem to be

:51:56. > :52:02.determined to take control of the race. They are the ones doing all of

:52:03. > :52:05.the marking. They are using their troops very early, to keep things

:52:06. > :52:09.under control. Everyone else will have seen that. New Zealand will

:52:10. > :52:13.happily let them do that, just follow the wheels. Clearly, he is

:52:14. > :52:19.not driving the car, Mark Cavendish, because he is here. How Mark

:52:20. > :52:21.Cavendish would have loved to have been in the road race this

:52:22. > :52:29.afternoon, in the colours of the Isle of Man. If he can't race, he is

:52:30. > :52:40.still here to help. He will be driving the team car for the mens

:52:41. > :52:47.rea this afternoon. -- men's race. The riders are taking stock. Emma

:52:48. > :52:56.Pooley as always ridden close to the front of the race. Is this Katrin

:52:57. > :53:03.Garfoot once more? They are determined to start a move, in this

:53:04. > :53:08.race. It is Garfoot. Attacking, well, certainly accelerating off the

:53:09. > :53:12.front, not for the first time. She is being followed very closely by

:53:13. > :53:14.Eileen Roe, the recently crowned British circuit race champion, the

:53:15. > :53:24.24-year-old, from Fife, straight on her wheel. It is a reasonably

:53:25. > :53:28.comfortable pace for her, too. Dani King, third in line. Like the

:53:29. > :53:29.English team, the Scots are quite happy to participate in the

:53:30. > :53:55.breakaway. It looked like Emma Pooley was going

:53:56. > :54:04.to have a go for a minute there, just popping out to the right. Emma

:54:05. > :54:07.Pooley and Dani King, up towards the front, keeping an ion things. A

:54:08. > :54:14.little further back, Stephanie Roorda, from Canada. -- keeping an

:54:15. > :54:18.eye on things. She is struggling to keep in touch when the pace goes up

:54:19. > :54:22.at times, hanging off the back and Laura Brown as well, number nine.

:54:23. > :54:32.More prominent as they track rider, Brown. The latest attack from

:54:33. > :54:36.Australia, here. You can't help thinking that it is not just getting

:54:37. > :54:40.a move away, it is the fact that there is no one that wants to work

:54:41. > :54:44.with you at such an early stage in the race. They are very aggressive,

:54:45. > :54:50.using their strength in depth, for sure. Right in the centre of the

:54:51. > :55:02.city again, cutting across Buchanan Street, and Nelson Mandela Place.

:55:03. > :55:07.And along towards George Square. Still no rain, although there are

:55:08. > :55:11.grey skies. The clouds look reasonably high. Finger is crossed.

:55:12. > :55:14.Certainly not the volume we had yesterday. They are still predicting

:55:15. > :55:22.some showers today, particularly around lunch time. But now finding

:55:23. > :55:32.life a bit more difficult is Claire Thomas of Scotland.

:55:33. > :55:41.She has done well to be in the race, actually, Claire Thomas. She

:55:42. > :55:43.fractured her hip in a race in June. I think she is proud to just

:55:44. > :56:04.be here. She has been in Ruediger form, the

:56:05. > :56:08.New Zealand rider, just outside the medals in the time from. Melissa

:56:09. > :56:12.Hoskins once more and this time, Lizzie Armitstead towards the front,

:56:13. > :56:17.having a little look. -- she has been in great form.

:56:18. > :56:25.That is the first time we have seen her today, isn't it? Lizzie

:56:26. > :56:29.Armitstead, looking confident and untroubled so far. A relief for

:56:30. > :56:37.her, that she is able to take a place in this road race after

:56:38. > :56:42.crashing in the last kilometre of the La Course in Paris last weekend.

:56:43. > :56:47.A conversation going on, deciding tactics. Laura Trott on the front

:56:48. > :56:51.for England. I thought she would be a good bet today. But we have heard

:56:52. > :56:54.that everyone is in the service of the Lizzie Armitstead. She looks

:56:55. > :56:59.very comfortable in third place. She will have had the disadvantage of

:57:00. > :57:03.having focused on the track, a few short days ago. It is difficult to

:57:04. > :57:11.switch distances but a punchy rider for a course like this, which is

:57:12. > :57:13.ideal. And the new British road race champion, meanwhile, a little

:57:14. > :57:20.further back, Hayley Jones, for Wales. She comes from a famous Welsh

:57:21. > :57:25.cycling family. Her mother, Louise, won the gold medal for Wales in

:57:26. > :57:28.Auckland in 1990, one of only two gold medals in cycling in the

:57:29. > :57:32.Commonwealth Games won by Wales over the years. Louise Jones with one of

:57:33. > :57:41.them and Nicole Cooke, of course, who won the road race in magister in

:57:42. > :57:46.2002. -- in Manchester. Louise Jones is a commissar on the race. She will

:57:47. > :57:50.be watching out for her daughter, possibly anxiously, on these

:57:51. > :57:54.services. And you mentioned Laura Trott being so good on the track,

:57:55. > :57:57.and Hayley Jones is also a strong track rider, a world junior champion

:57:58. > :58:03.in the team pursuit. Laura Trott, on the front. But no decisive move made

:58:04. > :58:06.yet in the women's road race. Let's talk to Jill Douglas in the

:58:07. > :58:18.finishing area with Mark Cavendish. Mark is watching the women's race

:58:19. > :58:26.cleanly. But you also involved with the men's race. How are you doing? I

:58:27. > :58:34.would like to have had a car but we have got share price -- shared cars

:58:35. > :58:37.because we only have two riders. Alanna Christian is a good girl on

:58:38. > :58:41.the domestic scene. There are some good riders here. She is doing well.

:58:42. > :58:45.We spoke about what to do this morning. She seems to be doing OK.

:58:46. > :58:51.We will see how far she can get in. Who knows? I think the best thing

:58:52. > :58:55.about the Isle of Man team is that we are underdogs. It is exciting

:58:56. > :58:59.just to be here, with people I grew up with. The last time I saw you,

:59:00. > :59:02.you are getting in the back of an ambulance in Harrogate after that

:59:03. > :59:08.horrible crash at the beginning of the Tour de France. How are you? I'm

:59:09. > :59:12.OK. I have been on a bike in the last couple of weeks, training hard

:59:13. > :59:16.in the week just gone. I still don't know my programme really, yet. But I

:59:17. > :59:22.will see how strong I am. Obviously, I have put on a bit of weight. I was

:59:23. > :59:25.in super form for the Tour de France. I have always done the Tour

:59:26. > :59:29.so I don't know how my form will be at this time of year without doing

:59:30. > :59:32.it. I don't know what we will do. We will see in the next couple of

:59:33. > :59:36.weeks. My movement is not fully recovered but not too bad. Lots of

:59:37. > :59:41.people would have loved to have seen you racing here as well. But it was

:59:42. > :59:49.not to be. Realistically, when will you be back racing? I am hoping in

:59:50. > :59:52.the next few weeks. But we will see. Hopefully I will get a good week in

:59:53. > :00:00.training, and then test my form the week after. It is difficult, because

:00:01. > :00:04.you know what it is like, I go to a race and I'm expected to win but

:00:05. > :00:07.that is not realistic. I need to find a race without that pressure,

:00:08. > :00:11.maybe have my team-mates, to see if they could do some thing and it will

:00:12. > :00:18.do me good to ride in the mountains. We will see what happens in the next

:00:19. > :00:24.couple of weeks. I know how much it means for you to represent the Isle

:00:25. > :00:29.of Man, you have a very strong team here, what are you thought about the

:00:30. > :00:34.men's road race? There are some strong riders here. But again is an

:00:35. > :00:40.Isle of Man team, our best thing is that we are the underdogs, we have

:00:41. > :00:44.such strong guys. Such a small island, we can beat these big

:00:45. > :00:49.teams. The other home nations have got young riders, but still strong,

:00:50. > :00:52.especially suited to this type of course, to be fair. But I know we

:00:53. > :01:00.have the riders. Not course, to be fair. But I know we

:01:01. > :01:00.collectively that can go out, as course, to be fair. But I know we

:01:01. > :01:03.did in Delhi, we went out and control the race. OK, ultimately the

:01:04. > :01:13.Australians won, but it was a great showing. All the riders ride well

:01:14. > :01:17.together. What is it about the Isle of Man and bike racing? Of course,

:01:18. > :01:21.famous for motorbikes, the TT of course, but there is a real

:01:22. > :01:24.tradition of bike racing and some fantastic competitors over the

:01:25. > :01:31.years. There is nothing else to do there! No, I was over with Peter and

:01:32. > :01:36.the kids, and she said, she was in a car with Finn, my boy, and she said

:01:37. > :01:41.even CYP full grow up riding a bike here, it is hilly and windy. It

:01:42. > :01:41.even CYP full grow up riding a bike like the unofficial national sport

:01:42. > :01:48.there. Everyone in the UK likes football, but to be fair in the Isle

:01:49. > :01:59.of Man and you have the motorcycling and the here they come.

:02:00. > :02:02.When it gets narrow, you should move up the front.

:02:03. > :02:09.When it gets narrow, On this course, especially with these greasy roads,

:02:10. > :02:13.it gets really narrow and you use a lot more energy at the back, so it

:02:14. > :02:18.is actually beneficial to do a little sprint at a corner. Keep out

:02:19. > :02:22.of trouble. Yes. Looking a bit further ahead, things are other the

:02:23. > :02:27.air at the moment with the injury and not sure what you are going to

:02:28. > :02:30.be doing, but when you look at Bradley Wiggins coming back onto the

:02:31. > :02:34.track, is there a little part of you that wonders whether you should take

:02:35. > :02:38.the same route? There is, but I don't work for sky. They can't go

:02:39. > :02:48.back and forwards. That was part of the deal. Can I say BSkyB on BBC?

:02:49. > :02:54.You have just done it. It is great what they have done for cycling.

:02:55. > :02:57.They don't just sponsor the sky team, they sponsor British cycling

:02:58. > :03:07.and it was kind of them to do that. Things did not work out for me at

:03:08. > :03:12.Sky. Every other team would not be to do what Sky do. I am a

:03:13. > :03:16.professional bike rider. Ultimately I would like to do that but I am a

:03:17. > :03:22.professional cyclist. I love my team, winning for my team, and

:03:23. > :03:25.ultimately my team and the road has to come first. I will let you go,

:03:26. > :03:28.because I know you have responsibilities here with the Isle

:03:29. > :03:30.of Man team, but thank you very much, looking forward to seeing you

:03:31. > :03:38.back on the bike soon. Great to hear Mark Cavendish, but

:03:39. > :03:42.what a shame that he is not able to take part on the road race here this

:03:43. > :03:47.afternoon, because he knows this is a course he could do rather well on,

:03:48. > :03:50.following on from the national championships last year. These are

:03:51. > :03:57.the clients that Mark Cavendish likes, these short, sharp ones that

:03:58. > :04:04.are over quickly. -- these are the claims. He knows how to measure his

:04:05. > :04:09.effort, perhaps starting at the very front -- these are the climbs. As he

:04:10. > :04:12.said, it is worth spending some power to be in the right position

:04:13. > :04:17.and then slipped back through the numbers, if necessary. Buchanan

:04:18. > :04:20.Street has really dried up now, it has made a big difference for the

:04:21. > :04:22.safety of the riders. It is not guaranteed to stay there but they

:04:23. > :04:28.will make the most of it when they can. We have a reasonable break

:04:29. > :04:34.developing here. Yes, two riders breaking away, and you may recognise

:04:35. > :04:38.the familiar face of Laura Trott there on the Australian's wheel.

:04:39. > :04:43.This is a course that Mark Cavendish won the national championships on

:04:44. > :04:47.last year. David Millar looked as though he might get the victory but

:04:48. > :04:50.Cavendish beat him right at the end. Lizzie Armitstead is well one on

:04:51. > :05:06.this course and she is keen to get back on it once again. The

:05:07. > :05:11.Australian rider Charlotte Gillow -- -- Gillow.

:05:12. > :05:21.There has been quite a bit of looking around there. That is a big

:05:22. > :05:31.gap now. Laura Trott staying nicely tucked in here on the wheel of Shara

:05:32. > :05:34.Gillow from Australia. The camera angles shows the distance and

:05:35. > :05:38.shortening somewhat. It is a reasonable gap. Time for something

:05:39. > :05:41.else to chase. New Zealand is deciding we are going to block this

:05:42. > :05:50.out and not do the chasing. It looks like that at the moment. Emily

:05:51. > :05:54.Collins from New Zealand. It does look as if if anyone is going to

:05:55. > :06:00.bring it back, it would be Canada at the moment who are being asked to

:06:01. > :06:04.lead the chase. That would be Leah Kirchmann. And Anna Christian from

:06:05. > :06:11.the Isle of Man now coming to the front. It will be interesting to see

:06:12. > :06:16.if Gillow is expecting any help from Laura Trott. Laura Trott is playing

:06:17. > :06:21.a team role today, supposedly, which I wonder if that will change at all

:06:22. > :06:25.if this lead becomes established. So far the English riders have been

:06:26. > :06:30.merely marking, they have not been helping any attacks or any potential

:06:31. > :06:34.breakaways. Hannah Barnes rolled through once, but I think it was

:06:35. > :06:40.just a case of just rolling through. They have about ten seconds plus

:06:41. > :06:44.now. Not much at all time to get organised behind. Heading up towards

:06:45. > :06:47.Kelvingrove Park again on this third lap of seven. They will be into the

:06:48. > :06:54.park in the not too distant future. New Zealand have cracked now and

:06:55. > :06:58.decided to start chasing. Nielsen sitting on the front and doing the

:06:59. > :07:11.work again, shadowed by the England team. Up to 15 seconds now, the time

:07:12. > :07:14.gap from the leading two. One rider, which effectively this is

:07:15. > :07:24.now, Gillow won't get any assistance. As we go to the pits

:07:25. > :07:27.here, and some reason. Retirees. One or two riders dropping out of the

:07:28. > :07:44.race here. Wales now down to two. Hayley Jones. She dropped out, just

:07:45. > :07:48.as the race entered its third lap. Gillow not a stranger to riding

:07:49. > :07:55.alone, sixth in the individual time trial earlier this week. Gillow

:07:56. > :08:03.pressing on and doing all of the work here. Laura Trott just happy to

:08:04. > :08:11.sit on. Here they come now into the park. Jaime Nielsen continues to

:08:12. > :08:17.ride on the front, Emma Pooley on her wheel. Still two riders in the

:08:18. > :08:17.race for Wales, three actually, Amy Roberts, Katie Curtis and Elinor

:08:18. > :08:26.Barker. Into the park now. It has been cut

:08:27. > :08:44.by a third. Third in her national championship

:08:45. > :08:49.road race earlier this year. Second in the time trial. A long time ago,

:08:50. > :08:54.though. The Australian championships are in our winter, so back in

:08:55. > :08:57.January. That was the curve that almost caught out Hannah Barnes in

:08:58. > :09:08.the last lap, just off the edge of that fountain. Someone has been out

:09:09. > :09:17.painting in the middle of the night there in support of David Millar, I

:09:18. > :09:21.notice. There we are. Great support for David Millar this afternoon in

:09:22. > :09:25.the men's road race. He won the bronze medal in Delhi four years

:09:26. > :09:31.ago. The crowd will be out on the streets later on for that one.

:09:32. > :09:35.Starting to look around now. Surely she is not expecting any assistance

:09:36. > :09:39.here? What they might be doing, of course, is setting up a staging

:09:40. > :09:44.post, as it were. So getting one of your team-mates up the road and then

:09:45. > :09:48.attacking across to it. At a point of the race where it would normally

:09:49. > :09:54.be too early, but when bridged up with a team-mate, that works well.

:09:55. > :09:58.Everything being marked closely this time by Lizzie Armitstead up

:09:59. > :10:05.University Avenue. Armitstead looks very comfortable at this stage. Very

:10:06. > :10:09.low gear, easy acceleration, staying at the front to ease out the flow

:10:10. > :10:14.around the corners. Katie Archibald up there for Scotland in the blue. A

:10:15. > :10:20.great couple of weeks for her, from Glasgow, just from the outskirts of

:10:21. > :10:26.the city. England marking these breakaways is one of the upside is

:10:27. > :10:30.to it, it is that they do not have any obligation to do the chasing.

:10:31. > :10:35.Particularly when it is a rider like Laura Trott, who could win this race

:10:36. > :10:39.at right. It forced New Zealand to come to the front, which they did,

:10:40. > :10:43.and immediately New Zealand counterattack. Just along Byres Road

:10:44. > :10:48.now, right in the heart of the West End, near Hillhead station. Turning

:10:49. > :10:52.right now in the great George Street. They will go up till now,

:10:53. > :10:59.this is one of the short, sharp, stinging little climbs that really

:11:00. > :11:05.take it out of your legs. It just disrupts the rhythm constantly.

:11:06. > :11:13.Lizzie Armitstead. Ashleigh Moolman there, predominantly in the green.

:11:14. > :11:18.Interesting that Lizzie Armitstead decided to take on -- Ashleigh

:11:19. > :11:27.Pasio. She has split the group. In a few

:11:28. > :11:33.metres of starting that climb, she has got it down to a group of five.

:11:34. > :11:39.Clearly the English team has done well to crown her the leader and put

:11:40. > :11:45.everybody in her service today because she looks in superb form.

:11:46. > :11:53.She really does. Laura Trott is going well as well in the early

:11:54. > :11:58.stages here. She has replaced Armitstead is the national road race

:11:59. > :12:04.champion. Ashleigh Moolman on the front of your picture, yet another

:12:05. > :12:08.attack from the Australian team, who are expending a fair bit of energy

:12:09. > :12:21.here in the opening three laps of this race. You can see how fast it

:12:22. > :12:29.is taking over from 30 kph climbing to the 60 kph downhill. All the time

:12:30. > :12:34.just stretching the peloton. I feel sure it will not be a bunch sprint

:12:35. > :12:38.finish, not on a circuit like this. Possibly for the men's race as well.

:12:39. > :12:44.It is just ideal for creating these breakaway opportunities. For the

:12:45. > :12:47.first time, that little breakaway attempt not immediately chased down,

:12:48. > :12:52.although England do have three riders on the front of the peloton.

:12:53. > :12:57.It is Emma Pooley at the moment who is bringing everybody back up to our

:12:58. > :13:08.leader. And doing so very quickly indeed. The whole group now lined

:13:09. > :13:12.out, and probably less than 25 riders just stringing out. This is

:13:13. > :13:17.the picture that we are going to see throughout the day, just small gaps

:13:18. > :13:23.appearing, less and less riders able to get back on terms after each of

:13:24. > :13:30.these accelerations. Emma Pooley deciding to drive it here. Just on

:13:31. > :13:38.Park quadrant now. The race momentarily almost doubling back on

:13:39. > :13:43.itself. Armitstead in second place. Anna Christian still well-placed,

:13:44. > :13:48.fifth in line. A small gap there, and Emma Pooley has decided to see

:13:49. > :13:48.if she can force... Archibald just trying to get across

:13:49. > :13:53.if she can force... Archibald just trying to in the blue now, just

:13:54. > :13:56.turning left, she sensed the danger of that. There is only a second or

:13:57. > :14:04.so between them but Emma Pooley decided to keep the pressure on, if

:14:05. > :14:07.they could keep a gap all the way down there with some of the

:14:08. > :14:11.favourites pinned in place, because of all the corners, then they may

:14:12. > :14:23.choose to try and press this advantage.

:14:24. > :14:32.Pooley is really piling it on at the moment, and it is causing a split.

:14:33. > :14:35.They have made it look relatively easy to do, just sit on the front

:14:36. > :14:40.and apply the pressure, but going through these corners, small gaps

:14:41. > :14:43.can quickly be exacerbated, and as the riders look around, they just

:14:44. > :14:48.take the pressure off the pedals to see if anyone is going to help them,

:14:49. > :14:52.suddenly the gaps appear, and with the corners constantly coming, then

:14:53. > :14:57.it just grows very, very quickly. They have decided to push this on.

:14:58. > :15:01.There is a lot of their biggest opposition not represented here. If

:15:02. > :15:05.you can get the Montreux Street and that big climb, then they could

:15:06. > :15:10.really dry this one home. For the first time, the race is really on,

:15:11. > :15:13.but those with Armitstead and Pooley on the front, that is why Katie

:15:14. > :15:17.Archibald is busting a gut to try and get with it and make sure does

:15:18. > :15:22.not get away. Only a third of the into this race. They have decided

:15:23. > :15:25.there is an opportunity here to make this race, live. Armitstead is

:15:26. > :15:31.looking back, she has decided to drop a bit further back so she can

:15:32. > :15:34.keep an eye on everybody. Pooley charged with keeping the pressure

:15:35. > :15:48.on. If they can get the Montreux Street, a short, sharp climb, the

:15:49. > :15:58.shortest of the entire race. Tiffany Cromwell, the last time we have seen

:15:59. > :16:00.her. -- first time. A little kick up Montrose Street,

:16:01. > :16:07.her. -- first time. A little kick up coming up a bit later on. Not

:16:08. > :16:14.far-away now, that is the shore. This is Blythswood Street. The next

:16:15. > :16:23.one will be Montrose Street. Just a very brief incline. And now a fast

:16:24. > :16:28.run into the city. There is Katie Archibald. Right on her wheel,

:16:29. > :16:39.there, Amy Roberts of Wales. Look at the distance now with this

:16:40. > :16:49.group. They have probably got a minute of riding to get back down

:16:50. > :16:57.this descent. Then towards the bottom of Montrose Street. Nelson

:16:58. > :17:03.Mandela Place, heading across Buchanan Street, to George Square.

:17:04. > :17:07.They are going to try to set up for the climb, now. I don't think we

:17:08. > :17:12.will see an outright attack but we will see a forcing of the pace. It

:17:13. > :17:16.is Emma Pooley who is perfectly made for doing a job like this, driving

:17:17. > :17:24.the pace. Lizzie Armitstead will sit on the wheel. Great use of the

:17:25. > :17:29.troops, here. You can see Anna Christian, the Isle of Man

:17:30. > :17:35.representative as well, up there, amongst this eight rider leading

:17:36. > :17:40.group. Barnes helping doing some pace setting as well, now. This

:17:41. > :17:44.group has slowly swelled in numbers. But I still feel that England have

:17:45. > :17:48.created a group from which they can win. We have Hannah Barnes, Emma

:17:49. > :17:52.Pooley, Lizzie Armitstead Ashleigh Moolman from South Africa, Tiffany

:17:53. > :17:57.Cromwell of Australia, Amy Roberts, Archibald and Christian. But it is

:17:58. > :18:03.growing all the time, coming back together. I think all the favourites

:18:04. > :18:08.have really pushed on, there, sensed the danger, used the descent to get

:18:09. > :18:14.back across. Archibald knew straight away. She was very quickly on to it.

:18:15. > :18:19.I rode up that climb yesterday, and I can tell you, as you can see, it

:18:20. > :18:23.is not easy. It looked like Lizzie Armitstead was on a different road

:18:24. > :18:27.to everyone else. This is Reta Trotman of New Zealand. That gives

:18:28. > :18:31.you some indication, when you look at the speed, of the climb, which

:18:32. > :18:38.she will be glad is now under her wheels. I think we are looking at

:18:39. > :18:43.the back of the field, now. That is Charline Joiner on the back. We saw

:18:44. > :18:47.her on the track last week. Emma Pooley on the right and Archibald is

:18:48. > :18:52.having to do a lot of chasing to stay up with the pace. She is using

:18:53. > :18:56.up a lot of energy at the moment. Clever tactics by England, using

:18:57. > :19:03.their strength in numbers to force their opponents to do all the work.

:19:04. > :19:10.Strong competitors, though, the Australian team. They can use any

:19:11. > :19:14.one of their number, here, to try to take the title. It is going to be a

:19:15. > :19:20.battle of wills between Australia and England. It certainly looks that

:19:21. > :19:26.way in this race. England are coming out tactically the smartest of the

:19:27. > :19:30.group, as they come down Rottenrow, drying out nicely. Not as rotten as

:19:31. > :19:37.it might have been, had the heavens opened this morning. I think that is

:19:38. > :19:43.it, now, they have decided that this is not going to work and there is no

:19:44. > :19:47.point in spending too much energy. The combination is not right. They

:19:48. > :19:52.will use the descent to have a drink, and regroup. They have got

:19:53. > :19:56.some daylight, there, but not enough to make it stick. It was a good move

:19:57. > :20:00.but if they persisted with it, they would be expending energy

:20:01. > :20:08.needlessly. They are going to let this one glow. -- let this one go.

:20:09. > :20:10.Blahs go green, in the top left of the picture, which is where the

:20:11. > :20:22.riders are heading. -- Glasgow Green.

:20:23. > :20:29.This is where you have an opportunity for one of the smaller

:20:30. > :20:36.nations to have a go, or one of the lesser favourites, shall we say. It

:20:37. > :20:40.was Linda Villumsen, in the Black of New Zealand, who won the time trial,

:20:41. > :20:46.the first time we have seen her at the front, today. I think it is too

:20:47. > :20:50.early for her should be -- for her to be having a go. She should be

:20:51. > :20:54.following the moves we have just seen and waiting until later. It is

:20:55. > :21:00.a great opportunity for one of the Welsh riders, perhaps, to see what

:21:01. > :21:04.they can do, while England and Australia and New Zealand all watch

:21:05. > :21:07.each other. Gemma Neill, just off the back, 12th in the national

:21:08. > :21:12.championships, recently. Emma Pooley on the right of the picture. Amy

:21:13. > :21:22.Roberts up there in the centre. About fourth in line. We have nearly

:21:23. > :21:26.had three of the seven laps in the women's road race. And another

:21:27. > :21:41.attack coming from Australia. In front of the People's Palace,

:21:42. > :21:45.there. A beautiful building. A lot of beautiful buildings around blahs

:21:46. > :21:49.go that we have seen. Heading down to the banks of the Clyde, now.

:21:50. > :21:58.Hannah Barnes with the blue on the crash hat. Amy Roberts, still

:21:59. > :22:08.prominent for Wales. Along the river, now. Then the final turn into

:22:09. > :22:17.the finishing straight. Back out of the park. We are heading now to what

:22:18. > :22:23.already looks to be a very select group in terms of the race as a

:22:24. > :22:25.whole. It is incredible, we are nearly at the halfway stage of the

:22:26. > :22:40.race. It has gone so quickly. You can't help but notice that for

:22:41. > :22:43.all of the attacks we have had from Australian rider so far, we have not

:22:44. > :22:47.seen anything from Gracie Elvin, the national champion. She is keeping

:22:48. > :22:52.her powder dry until the latter stages, maybe. Coming into the

:22:53. > :22:57.finishing straight, now, at the end of the third lap. Emma Pooley, Linda

:22:58. > :23:02.Villumsen, in the back of New Zealand, up to the front and Lizzie

:23:03. > :23:06.Armitstead right up alongside her. Anna Christian, on the left-hand

:23:07. > :23:09.side, also in black, and the Isle of Man kit is very similar to New

:23:10. > :23:15.Zealand but they have yellow and red trim on their sleeves and their

:23:16. > :23:18.shorts. A drink for Emma Pooley. And Lucy Garner, on the left for England

:23:19. > :23:28.as well, with Dani King on her wheel. Amy Roberts in the centre, in

:23:29. > :23:35.the red shorts, for Wales. And Anna Christian, leaving -- leading them

:23:36. > :23:41.over the line this time. Just 19 riders in the lead group,

:23:42. > :23:47.represented. Hoskins, Linda Villumsen, Trott, of course, Tiffany

:23:48. > :23:54.Cromwell, Lizzie Armitstead, Lucy Garner, just picking up some of the

:23:55. > :24:01.key names, here. Gracie Elvin is in there. Nielsen, for New Zealand, and

:24:02. > :24:06.Reta Trotman. Most of those who we would expect to see are still very

:24:07. > :24:14.much involved in the thick of this race. Archibald is still well in the

:24:15. > :24:20.thick of it, here. She has got Annie Ewing, who might get back in touch.

:24:21. > :24:27.She is just ten seconds adrift. As we see another attack, here. It

:24:28. > :24:38.looks like Linda Villumsen of New Zealand. Setting herself up for the

:24:39. > :24:44.corner. It is very early for her to be attacking. A lone attack means

:24:45. > :24:48.that she will struggle with so much team representation from England and

:24:49. > :24:58.New Zealand behind. I do think this is a smart move. -- I don't think.

:24:59. > :25:02.So far, Australia and England have been doing all the work and the

:25:03. > :25:06.countering. Maybe from their perspective, it was not a bad

:25:07. > :25:10.thing, when you consider the numbers they have as well, New Zealand. For

:25:11. > :25:15.much of the race, they would be quite content to let everyone else

:25:16. > :25:22.go for it. Up until about ten climate to go, 15 kilometres, -- ten

:25:23. > :25:25.kilometres, 15 kilometres to go, she should be letting the other teams

:25:26. > :25:28.whittle down the numbers they have already.

:25:29. > :25:29.whittle down the numbers they have heading into the pedestrianised

:25:30. > :25:44.area. It is a little chicane. And then the right-hand turn into

:25:45. > :26:08.Buchanan Street. She is persisting with this three

:26:09. > :26:14.second advantage that she has, here. A little bit of discussion behind.

:26:15. > :26:17.They will probably give her another second or two while they work out

:26:18. > :26:21.who is going to chase. Everything is being left to England at the moment.

:26:22. > :26:24.I'm sure at some stage, they will look round and say to the

:26:25. > :26:29.Australians, "you have just as much to lose, you should be helping us".

:26:30. > :26:33.England do the chasing and the instant they bring Linda Villumsen

:26:34. > :26:37.back, there will be counterattacks, and they need to be very careful

:26:38. > :26:41.that they don't find themselves on the back foot. England are still

:26:42. > :26:43.very well represented towards the front of the group. On the back

:26:44. > :26:46.foot. England are still very well represented towards the front of the

:26:47. > :27:00.group. Onto St Vincent Street. Linda Villumsen looks comfortable.

:27:01. > :27:05.She's just stretching this lead out, isn't she? Behind, you can see it

:27:06. > :27:10.surging. She needs to get enough of isn't she? Behind, you can see it

:27:11. > :27:13.surging. a gap to be able to yo-yo behind between driving and stopping.

:27:14. > :27:19.But Emma Pooley has decided to get it done. They don't want to sit

:27:20. > :27:22.there, grinding away. They want to close the gap when it hurts everyone

:27:23. > :27:27.else as well, so they can't just counter attack. A smart move,

:27:28. > :27:31.there, riding a tempo until you get a drag and then they closed the

:27:32. > :27:35.gap. Linda Villumsen has certainly strung them out. And it was not a

:27:36. > :27:41.full out effort from her, either. A big day for Emma Pooley. It is her

:27:42. > :27:44.last major by grace, having announced her retirement. She has

:27:45. > :27:48.been a shining light for British women's cycling in recent years, a

:27:49. > :27:52.world champion and an Olympic medallist and they consistently

:27:53. > :28:00.strong performer. Not just in cycling, of course. She did a

:28:01. > :28:05.marathon as well. I think she will concentrate on that. As an athlete,

:28:06. > :28:09.her career is not finished. She is ending her international cycling

:28:10. > :28:12.career but we will see her in the triathlon and the marathon,

:28:13. > :28:17.endurance sports, where she still has plenty to do. They are just

:28:18. > :28:23.closing this gap. An enormous amount of damage yet again, really

:28:24. > :28:26.stringing out this group. The riders unable to hold the wheel. Emma

:28:27. > :28:32.Pooley will certainly be missed in cycling circles. She has a very

:28:33. > :28:37.specific talent, and has made the most of her limited stature, not

:28:38. > :28:41.just in climbing hills but also aerodynamically, she is very small,

:28:42. > :28:44.and as we saw earlier this week, she is strong in the time trial. Only

:28:45. > :28:52.bested by Linda Villumsen. Lizzie Armitstead, just marking the

:28:53. > :29:02.move. So, the leading riders are all still

:29:03. > :29:10.together at the moment. Jill Douglas is that the finish line.

:29:11. > :29:13.I'm alongside the president of Scottish cycling, and significantly,

:29:14. > :29:18.the course designer, where we are watching both the races today. When

:29:19. > :29:23.you put the course together, what was in your mind? There were a

:29:24. > :29:25.number of challenges, Jill. We had certain constraints placed upon us

:29:26. > :29:30.by the logistics around the rest of the games, various venues, games

:29:31. > :29:33.lanes, and then the Greater Glasgow marketing bureau wanted to showcase

:29:34. > :29:37.as much of the nice part of the city, and many of the iconic

:29:38. > :29:42.buildings within the city as we could possibly accommodate within

:29:43. > :29:46.the circuit, which has do have UCI guidelines. It was a long and

:29:47. > :29:51.conflict and demanding process but we got there in the end. How would

:29:52. > :29:55.you describe the course? It is punchy in places and quite

:29:56. > :29:58.technical. It is a tricky course because any city course, especially

:29:59. > :30:01.one like Glasgow, built on a grid system, means there will always be

:30:02. > :30:05.corners and right-hand turns. We tried to get a nice mix, with

:30:06. > :30:13.short, sharp climbs, some long drags, a nice, flat finish into the

:30:14. > :30:20.park. We have got a pretty mixed all-round circuit. Who do you think

:30:21. > :30:28.that all-round bike rider might be, both in the women's race and later

:30:29. > :30:37.this afternoon in the men's race? Could be any Australian, English or

:30:38. > :30:43.New Zealander, to be asked with you. No, I could not pick a winner, to be

:30:44. > :30:51.honest with you! You would love to see Katie Archibald in the mix come

:30:52. > :30:58.the end of this? Yes, she is in the mix. She is up against, obviously,

:30:59. > :31:01.because there are quite a number of English and Aussies and Kiwis still

:31:02. > :31:07.left but at least she is there. And a quick word on David Millar this

:31:08. > :31:11.afternoon? He is in our Kaboul form, happy with his condition, quietly

:31:12. > :31:22.optimistic, and of course he has the good old head on him which helps. --

:31:23. > :31:26.remarkable form. Up by Glasgow University, heading to the heart of

:31:27. > :31:30.the West End. It cuts right through the centre of the campus of the

:31:31. > :31:34.university, they have come out at Kelvingrove Park. Emily Collins on

:31:35. > :31:39.the far side of the road. Straight away, Emma Pooley is right near her,

:31:40. > :31:47.Ashleigh Moolman as well on the New Zealander's wheel. A bit of a debate

:31:48. > :31:51.going on involving Melissa Hoskins. Just on the back of the peloton. She

:31:52. > :31:58.does not look overly happily about something. New Zealand very well

:31:59. > :32:08.represented as you would expect it misleading group of riders. There is

:32:09. > :32:11.Lizzie Armitstead in the centre. On this nearside, the right-hand side

:32:12. > :32:17.of your picture on the front of the race now, Lucy Garner, the two-time

:32:18. > :32:21.former world junior champion on the road. She rides for giant Shema know

:32:22. > :32:40.now. There was some conversation in the

:32:41. > :32:44.England team ranks. Trying to set something up to prevent the attacks.

:32:45. > :32:53.Katie Archibald the on the back of the peloton at the moment. This is

:32:54. > :32:56.the climb on great George Street. Garner on the front. Armitstead.

:32:57. > :33:01.Remember this is the last time they went up, every time she has gone up

:33:02. > :33:07.it so far, she has looked very comfortable. Has been able to open

:33:08. > :33:13.up gaps almost at will. Just a show of strength. Maybe there has been a

:33:14. > :33:25.decision here to try and split up this race. They showed it was

:33:26. > :33:35.possible on the previous lap. It is a strong pace but it is not

:33:36. > :33:38.disruptive. This group has swelled in numbers somewhat now. 21 riders

:33:39. > :33:47.going through our last check together. To have that swift descent

:33:48. > :33:50.of Gibson Street coming up shortly. This is where the motorbike

:33:51. > :34:05.cameraman needs to make sure he gets a move on. It switches so quickly on

:34:06. > :34:10.this course. Four of them are no less in the first abide. Trying to

:34:11. > :34:11.work out who the Australian rider is at the front, whether it is Chloe

:34:12. > :34:28.Hosking. They are just heading into the pits,

:34:29. > :34:33.having decided she has had enough for today, Katie Curtis there to

:34:34. > :34:38.Wales, the latest retiree, the former British junior champion.

:34:39. > :34:43.Seventh in the scratch race this year. Curtis now disappearing into

:34:44. > :34:47.the pits, as the riders headed towards Park Quadrant and Park

:34:48. > :34:51.Circus once more. That is Leah Kirchmann from Canada, she created a

:34:52. > :34:56.little bit of Canadian cycling history this year, she won all three

:34:57. > :35:00.of the National titles available on the road. Crashed in the time trial

:35:01. > :35:04.on Thursday though, you can see the remnants of that crash, one or two

:35:05. > :35:13.plasters on her right leg. She bashed her hip as well. This is

:35:14. > :35:29.Hannah Barnes for England. We have had 14 retirees confirmed already in

:35:30. > :35:33.this race so far. Katrin Garfoot is the most disappointing for

:35:34. > :35:36.Australia. Of the riders we are expecting at the front, Katrin

:35:37. > :35:45.Garfoot the only one of them to have dropped out. Barnes on the fried

:35:46. > :36:02.them, Kirchmann of Canada in second place. -- Barnes on the right then.

:36:03. > :36:09.Just over half distance in the race now. From those first 21, the gap is

:36:10. > :36:14.nearly one and a half minutes back to the next riders on the road. So I

:36:15. > :36:19.think we can safely say that is the group that will contest the finish.

:36:20. > :36:24.Certainly as England are pushing the pace here, not giving anyone a

:36:25. > :36:30.chance to regroup. Emily Collins on the back for New Zealand. Katie

:36:31. > :36:36.Archibald for Scotland. Hannah Barnes continues on the front, head

:36:37. > :36:40.of Kirchmann and Pooley. I'm not really sure what the tactics are

:36:41. > :36:46.here. They seem to be telling all the riders around with no real gain

:36:47. > :36:50.in place. I was expecting some sort of attack to come but it doesn't

:36:51. > :36:54.seem to be the case. Maybe it is just trying to discourage attacks, I

:36:55. > :37:01.don't know. Amy Roberts nearly towards the front of the group, from

:37:02. > :37:05.Wales. Certainly in select company here. Absolutely, a really good ride

:37:06. > :37:10.here from Amy Roberts, the 18-year-old. Also a really good ride

:37:11. > :37:16.from Anna Christian, as well, from the Isle of Man. Another one of the

:37:17. > :37:24.teenagers in this race. Barnes, Kirchmann. There is Roberts just

:37:25. > :37:28.going through the picture. Shara Gillow. That was Melissa Hoskins,

:37:29. > :37:53.number seven, we were just seeing. It really is a very different field

:37:54. > :37:56.to the one that took start today. Not many riders left at all now.

:37:57. > :37:58.Just 21 of them in contention. And still a long way to go to the

:37:59. > :38:02.finish. Lots of conversations happening at the back there. That is

:38:03. > :38:05.Lizzie Armitstead. I think she was talking to one of the Welsh girls

:38:06. > :38:16.there, so maybe some collaboration between the teams?

:38:17. > :38:24.A lot of these riders ride in the same professional team, although

:38:25. > :38:29.they are in different jerseys today. Four riders from Australia in this

:38:30. > :38:36.front group, very well represented. Emily Collins now for New Zealand. I

:38:37. > :38:39.am not entirely sure what all the riding was for the last few minutes

:38:40. > :38:43.for the England team, but New Zealand decided they had had enough

:38:44. > :38:51.of it. Collins takes off and forces a chase.

:38:52. > :38:59.Emily Collins, just 23, she won a big women's race last season, one of

:39:00. > :39:08.the early classic races in the women's calendar.

:39:09. > :39:13.Here they come, hurtling now into the heart of the city and Nelson

:39:14. > :39:27.Mandela Place once more. Collins on the front and really

:39:28. > :39:39.stringing them out here towards George Square.

:39:40. > :39:47.Just breaking up a little bit behind. This is also a potential

:39:48. > :39:51.tactic for the team, rather than attacking, just leaving gaps to

:39:52. > :40:03.force their opponents to have to close them down. Roberts riding very

:40:04. > :40:07.strongly for Wales here. Here is Armitstead coming to the front, as

:40:08. > :40:11.the road starts to go uphill again. Straight onto her wheel is Tiffany

:40:12. > :40:19.Cromwell from Australia. Jaime Nielsen there towards the back

:40:20. > :40:37.of that group. Barnes struggling a little bit

:40:38. > :40:43.there. Going to make it over the top. That is the thing about these

:40:44. > :40:50.short terms, -- short climbs, if you dig deep, it is possible to stay in

:40:51. > :40:55.contact. Going over the top of the climb. Certainly a lot of talking

:40:56. > :41:00.going on in this group at the moment, everybody looking around and

:41:01. > :41:05.waiting for somebody to spark it. Yet another attack but half-hearted.

:41:06. > :41:11.Emma Pooley very quick to react to that one from Shara Gillow. Just

:41:12. > :41:19.trying it on there to see if she can be allowed to roll away. Ashleigh

:41:20. > :41:26.Moolman still up there for South Africa. Lizzie Armitstead looks a

:41:27. > :41:34.little bit frustrated there, perhaps she wants... I really don't know.

:41:35. > :41:39.There is not really anything in there for any of them to ride at the

:41:40. > :41:44.moment. Anna Christian soon we can see in those first ten riders also

:41:45. > :41:52.in the peloton, from the Isle of Man.

:41:53. > :41:53.in the peloton, from the Isle of power fade road before the

:41:54. > :42:07.right-hand turn. They will swoop back down into the

:42:08. > :42:17.city along the high street here. Archibald in the blue. Scotland

:42:18. > :42:20.still represented here in the race. Number 16 just taking a drink in the

:42:21. > :42:26.red and white, and throwing the bottle away, Lucy Garner. Hannah

:42:27. > :42:31.Barnes just in front of her, ringing up the rear there, Jaime Nielsen for

:42:32. > :42:37.New Zealand. She has had a good games, fifth in the individual

:42:38. > :42:43.pursuit, but a big ask for Jaime Nielsen to get among the medals here

:42:44. > :42:51.perhaps in the closing laps of this race. Some riders are perfectly

:42:52. > :43:00.content not to finish. That was Claire Fraser-Green. She has enjoyed

:43:01. > :43:06.her day out. Meanwhile, back at the front of the race, Dani King for

:43:07. > :43:13.England. She does not look as if she is enjoying it quite as much as

:43:14. > :43:17.those two. Not that the rain for King. Fantastic track rider and very

:43:18. > :43:25.powerful. Very much playing a team role today. England have ridden well

:43:26. > :43:31.as a team so far in this race. Back into the finishing area once more, a

:43:32. > :43:38.lack of Glasgow Green, pass the People's Palace and then down along

:43:39. > :43:43.the banks of the River Clyde before the finishing line itself. On the

:43:44. > :43:51.front there, Emily Collins, I think, for New Zealand. Right behind her,

:43:52. > :44:02.Tiffany Cromwell. Emma Pooley, Leah Kirchmann. Kirchmann actually rode

:44:03. > :44:06.well in Paris last weekend, that first women's race at the end of the

:44:07. > :44:14.Tour de France there on the Champs-Elysees, she was outsprinted

:44:15. > :44:16.by the world champion, Marianna Vos. There is Emily Collins, she has the

:44:17. > :44:38.orange on her crash hat. Emma Pooley there in third place.

:44:39. > :44:48.Lizzie Armitstead about fifth in line, with Dani King right behind

:44:49. > :44:49.her. Armitstead with time to have a good look round, just to check who

:44:50. > :45:11.is still there. this women's race, as Lucy Garner

:45:12. > :45:22.takes it up. Garner, Pooley and Barnes.

:45:23. > :45:32.The first real lull in the action that we have seen in the race today.

:45:33. > :45:36.We are a couple of hours in, and that is when the legs start to get

:45:37. > :45:43.sore. People start thinking about measuring their efforts a little bit

:45:44. > :45:47.more. New Zealand are still well represented, aren't they? They have

:45:48. > :45:51.got a good team, Chris, they are really strong. An hour and a half in

:45:52. > :46:16.the saddle, now. A rider's eye view of the finishing

:46:17. > :46:19.line. They have really slow down, haven't they? There is a possibility

:46:20. > :46:25.of some of the riders coming back to join them. The average speed in the

:46:26. > :46:33.race so far, 37 kilometres per hour. They're rather the 21 riders. --

:46:34. > :46:39.there are the 21 riders. Six in this riders, here. -- six English riders,

:46:40. > :46:53.here, still remaining. Well, the winner is going to come

:46:54. > :47:01.from this group, that is the shore. Four Australian riders, and four

:47:02. > :47:05.from New Zealand as well, I think. Emily Collins, just animating the

:47:06. > :47:13.race a bit on the front once again, as she did on the last lap. Four

:47:14. > :47:19.down, three to go, now. The representative from Canada, Leah

:47:20. > :47:24.Kirchmann. Amy Roberts from Wales, too. As we have mentioned, Katie

:47:25. > :47:28.Archibald. Those individuals are going to have do and hide in the

:47:29. > :47:32.wheels, don't get too far forward, don't get involved in any chasing.

:47:33. > :47:35.The responsibility is not theirs but there may prove to be an

:47:36. > :47:49.opportunity, very late in the race, as the favourites watch each other.

:47:50. > :47:57.Ashleigh Moolman and Ashleigh Pasio, there, another ride on her own. Onto

:47:58. > :48:00.Argyle Street. -- another rider. A little bit of a problem for Melissa

:48:01. > :48:12.Hoskins. I don't know if she has got an issue

:48:13. > :48:22.or she just wants to talk to the team car. Anna Christian, the lone

:48:23. > :48:32.representative from the Isle of Man. She was 14th in the time trial. A

:48:33. > :48:37.strong rider. In fact, she was 14th in the national championships as

:48:38. > :48:41.well. Consistent. A tactical discussion? Not for the first time,

:48:42. > :48:46.she was involved in a chat with the team car on the last lap as well,

:48:47. > :48:51.over in the West End, Melissa Hoskins. But now she is back up with

:48:52. > :48:55.her team-mates and the discussion continues. Maybe they are moving to

:48:56. > :49:00.plan B. They tried very hard in the early stages of the race to force a

:49:01. > :49:06.breakaway. They are largely responsible for this group being the

:49:07. > :49:09.size that it is. As we speak, varies some more attacking from one of the

:49:10. > :49:15.Australians, although I can't see who it is, as they turn onto

:49:16. > :49:21.Buchanan Street. That was not to be. Whoever it is that takes the

:49:22. > :49:25.tactical decision, here, it is going to take a lot of firepower to split

:49:26. > :49:32.up this group. It is a manageable size, with good, well skilled bike

:49:33. > :49:34.riders. There will be a few of them in that group, looking around

:49:35. > :49:40.thinking that there are rather too many riders here for their liking,

:49:41. > :49:45.come the end of the race. I wonder whether the best place to attack is

:49:46. > :49:49.not necessarily the climbs but just over the top, as everybody is lined

:49:50. > :49:55.up and penned in place? That is the place to attack. For me, they would

:49:56. > :49:58.be the tactics to play out. But you also need some support as well. You

:49:59. > :50:03.need to take at least one representative from one of the other

:50:04. > :50:07.major teams, to stop yourself being chased down again. That is where the

:50:08. > :50:12.decisive move will really be hammered home, though, isn't it? As

:50:13. > :50:15.sharp as those climbs are, they are quite short and there's only so much

:50:16. > :50:19.power you can generate on them and only so much of an advantage you can

:50:20. > :50:25.gain before the road levels out again for a while. Emma Pooley,

:50:26. > :50:31.here. We have got a very tight camera angle but I think this might

:50:32. > :50:34.be an attack. Linda Villumsen saw it coming straight away and Lizzie

:50:35. > :50:39.Armitstead in third place. The crowds are starting to gather here,

:50:40. > :50:41.for the last three laps of the women's race. Emma Pooley on the

:50:42. > :50:45.front, with Linda Villumsen and Armitstead. They are heading up St

:50:46. > :50:50.Vincent Street, moving away from the city centre, and clinging onto the

:50:51. > :50:57.back of the group is Nielsen. Katie Archibald towards the back of it as

:50:58. > :51:02.well. There is the gap. A significant gap already, four or

:51:03. > :51:07.five seconds. The England riders remaining in the rear are not going

:51:08. > :51:11.to help with the chasing. Australia are represented, but not in force.

:51:12. > :51:15.England have got their two main players, here. This is the big issue

:51:16. > :51:20.for everyone else, they'll know Lizzie Armitstead is in this group.

:51:21. > :51:24.But because you have representation for the major nations, as we were

:51:25. > :51:28.saying, there will be some hesitation. To get back on terms,

:51:29. > :51:31.you have to chase down your own team-mates. New Zealand have got

:51:32. > :51:35.Linda Villumsen in the group. We cannot see who the Australian rider

:51:36. > :51:40.is. Ashleigh Moolman is in the group on the back. Archibald is driving

:51:41. > :51:44.across. She has decided she wants a medal, does not want to say that she

:51:45. > :51:49.has run it. There might only be one of her but no one else is going to

:51:50. > :51:56.close the gap. She may spoil be set up for the England team. They will

:51:57. > :52:01.be delighted with the make-up of the breakaway, strong enough to succeed

:52:02. > :52:05.but not overdoing it. Tiffany Cromwell from Australia joining the

:52:06. > :52:08.group. It really is an elite, select a little group. Katie Archibald

:52:09. > :52:14.doing her best to drag everybody else back up towards it. Armitstead,

:52:15. > :52:18.still looking comfortable. The gap remains at five or six seconds.

:52:19. > :52:22.Katie Archibald might want to get across but she can only take so much

:52:23. > :52:26.on her own. But she is about to join them, as they make the right hand

:52:27. > :52:32.turn. She is taking won the rider with her, by the look of it. That is

:52:33. > :52:36.a courageous move. -- one other rider. She knew she only had seconds

:52:37. > :52:41.to get in touch because nobody else was going to chase it. It is slowly

:52:42. > :52:44.pulling away. That is one of the great things about Katie Archibald.

:52:45. > :52:49.She has only been seriously racing for a couple of years, still only 20

:52:50. > :52:53.years old, but as Lizzie Armitstead wishes that the motorbike cameraman

:52:54. > :52:57.would get a move on and stay out of the way, Archibald is a real racer.

:52:58. > :53:01.She may not always win the races she takes part in but you will always

:53:02. > :53:04.know she has been in them. She never turns up and rolls around. She is

:53:05. > :53:11.bridging the gap and bringing Gracie Elvin with her. A dangerous rival,

:53:12. > :53:14.sitting on her wheel, Gracie Elvin, the Australian national champion. It

:53:15. > :53:18.means Gracie Elvin has got a free ride across. It has cost Katie

:53:19. > :53:22.Archibald a lot of energy but she has managed to get across. We

:53:23. > :53:26.noticed Lizzie Armitstead waving the motorbike away. I have been watching

:53:27. > :53:30.and they have been getting very close to the races, which is great

:53:31. > :53:33.for the images but there's a lot of shelter to be gained behind one of

:53:34. > :53:38.these motorbikes, and they are starting to interfere with the

:53:39. > :53:44.racing. It is OK at the moment for Lizzie Armitstead. It is working in

:53:45. > :53:49.her favour. But should a rival get away and get this much attention, it

:53:50. > :53:56.could become difficult. To English riders and two Australians in this

:53:57. > :54:00.breakaway group. -- two English. One each for New Zealand, South Africa

:54:01. > :54:04.and Scotland. What a team-mate to have at your disposal, Emma Pooley,

:54:05. > :54:12.to be able to drive on the front for you. She is clearly committed to

:54:13. > :54:17.working for Lizzie Armitstead. And you know, the gap is growing

:54:18. > :54:21.massively, now. They are heading up University Avenue. Every time they

:54:22. > :54:27.come to a short climb, I think they are going to pull away even more,

:54:28. > :54:34.with Emmy Poole -- Emma Pooley doing the driving. Archibald, digging

:54:35. > :54:38.deep. Look at the faces of these riders. They looked like they are in

:54:39. > :54:41.different races. Emma Pooley, doing a workmanlike job on the front and

:54:42. > :54:48.Lizzie Armitstead out on a training ride, and Katie Archibald with a 500

:54:49. > :54:51.metres to go effort. It is a great group and Ashleigh Moolman from

:54:52. > :54:57.South Africa as well, worth watching, she was 12 in the World

:54:58. > :55:00.Championship a couple of years ago, so she can hang around at the

:55:01. > :55:07.business end of very tough road races. I would say there is about 14

:55:08. > :55:11.seconds to the peloton, now. Emma Pooley is doing all of the work on

:55:12. > :55:16.the front. None of the others are going to help, now.

:55:17. > :55:23.That was a good guess, 14 seconds, I'm quite proud of that. The riders

:55:24. > :55:26.are at the furthest point of because from the finishing area, now, on the

:55:27. > :55:32.Byers Road, up towards Hillhead station. When they make a right-hand

:55:33. > :55:41.turn into great George Street, there will be six -- they will be six

:55:42. > :55:44.kilometres into the latest lap. Six of the 14 kilometre lap completed.

:55:45. > :55:50.There will be two more laps to go, next time over the line. And Emma

:55:51. > :55:55.Pooley is still doing more than the lion 's share of the work on the

:55:56. > :55:59.front of the breakaway. Loving all these small climbs, every time she

:56:00. > :56:02.gets one, she is in territory she is comfortable with, driving the group

:56:03. > :56:06.forward, forcing it away. I would like to see a camera on the back

:56:07. > :56:11.group. It will be interesting to know who is doing the chasing. For

:56:12. > :56:17.it to stay at 14 seconds, somebody is trying to pull the group along.

:56:18. > :56:24.Not desperately clear, at the moment. About half of that group,

:56:25. > :56:26.well, most of the second group will not be terribly interested because

:56:27. > :56:31.of them for New Zealand and it looks like there are quite a from England

:56:32. > :56:36.as well. With Linda Villumsen and Armitstead and Pooley in the front

:56:37. > :56:41.group... It looks like it is New Zealand and Australia who are

:56:42. > :56:48.pushing the pace, and deciding perhaps that the make-up is not

:56:49. > :56:52.right, you. -- here. They don't have the volume at the front they would

:56:53. > :56:57.like, they have got the quality but not the volume and England have too

:56:58. > :57:01.much of an upper hand. The riders at the front are committed now. They

:57:02. > :57:04.have left a long time to make a decision which needed to be made

:57:05. > :57:08.instantly. Katie Archibald made an instant decision, she knew it was

:57:09. > :57:14.all on her, she had to close them down and it needed to be done

:57:15. > :57:18.straightaway. That is the thing about Archibald. She has got a nose

:57:19. > :57:23.for the race. Fortunately for her, she has the legs to go with it, to

:57:24. > :57:28.make it happen. Interesting little move, the pace had slowed slightly,

:57:29. > :57:31.and Emma Pooley, now they have made the breakaway, is inviting the

:57:32. > :57:35.others to contribute if they want to be in it. She was allowed to get a

:57:36. > :57:40.gap and the second Australian looked at Lizzie Armitstead and said, "if

:57:41. > :57:45.you want to be on her wheels, you have to close". This is getting very

:57:46. > :57:48.tactical. It could form the beginning of the end for the

:57:49. > :57:51.breakaway if they don't start to work together. Emma Pooley can force

:57:52. > :57:56.the gap but surely she is not capable of taking it all the way to

:57:57. > :58:02.the finish? The leading group, here, with Emma Pooley driving on at

:58:03. > :58:05.the front. Gracie Elvin in the partly blue crash at four

:58:06. > :58:09.Australia, with Lizzie Armitstead and Tiffany Cromwell, the other

:58:10. > :58:14.Australian, and Linda Villumsen, the gold-medal strong the time trial on

:58:15. > :58:17.Thursday on the back of the group and Katie Archibald at the tail end

:58:18. > :58:22.of the group, full Scotland. We will have do see how this works out.

:58:23. > :58:27.Really, Australia are well represented, certainly in numbers.

:58:28. > :58:35.They should start to help with some of the pacemaking. But nobody is

:58:36. > :58:41.helping Emma Pooley, here. All five riders... A little gap opening up.

:58:42. > :58:45.We could see that coming thick Katie Archibald. She dug deep and road

:58:46. > :58:49.courageously with this group but she is really finding the pace hard

:58:50. > :58:57.going. Let's hope she can stick in their aerobic longer. -- in their a

:58:58. > :59:01.bit longer. There is a dissent coming out but I think Archibald had

:59:02. > :59:05.to dip into the red for a while to bridge the gap. There is Leah

:59:06. > :59:07.Kirchmann from Canada. She could still be a major player in this

:59:08. > :59:18.race, potentially. This is the right move at the wrong

:59:19. > :59:25.time. She is certainly not going to close the gap on her own. She needs

:59:26. > :59:28.some help. You can see Amy Roberts of Wales, about four thin line in

:59:29. > :59:34.the chasing pack. Meanwhile, back with the leaders. -- fourth in line.

:59:35. > :59:39.That is a feral chunk of time. Behind, we have seen surges but not

:59:40. > :59:43.a consistent effort, and that is what Emma Pooley is laying down. It

:59:44. > :59:47.is a big sacrifice because it means Lizzie Armitstead will have to mark

:59:48. > :59:51.the other riders on her own. Emma Pooley cannot do both. Pretty soon,

:59:52. > :59:57.she is going to have to start easing up and saving some energy, to do

:59:58. > :00:04.some of the policing as well. This move IB starting to work against

:00:05. > :00:06.them now. They can't get people to share the workload. Lizzie

:00:07. > :00:23.Armitstead could find herself very quickly isolated.

:00:24. > :00:34.Here's the chase group, with Canada leading the way. And we are back

:00:35. > :00:50.with the leaders here, the usual scenario, Emma Pooley on the front.

:00:51. > :00:53.Katie Archibald. She has just been trying to take some food on board in

:00:54. > :01:09.the last few minutes, just to replenish those energy reserves. On

:01:10. > :01:13.Blythswood Street at the moment, they will have a descent into the

:01:14. > :01:21.heart of the city, a look over the shoulder from MER instead -- from

:01:22. > :01:27.Lizzie Armitstead. Motivated by recent misses, silver medallist four

:01:28. > :01:31.years ago in the road race, outsprinted by Richelle Gilmour from

:01:32. > :01:38.Australia at the end up to the line in Delhi. Silver medal at the

:01:39. > :01:42.Olympic Games two years ago. A street cleaner out. Not quite the

:01:43. > :01:44.right time for that, I wouldn't have thought. Katie Archibald still in

:01:45. > :02:08.touch here. It is clearly not a done deal, this

:02:09. > :02:16.breakaway. Possibly coming to the front to enjoy taking the line

:02:17. > :02:20.coming into Nelson Mandela Place. Interesting to note the city

:02:21. > :02:29.gradually coming to life, as the morning wears on. That is one of the

:02:30. > :02:34.benefits of a city centre circuit, even at this early hour of the

:02:35. > :02:41.morning. Plenty have come out to enjoy the action. Emma Pooley

:02:42. > :02:46.driving on. I guess, as they are about to come up to Montrose Street,

:02:47. > :03:02.a short climb that she will enjoy. Perhaps we will see the first real

:03:03. > :03:08.breakaway attempt. This really is Emma Pooley territory. The rider on

:03:09. > :03:15.the centre is Tiffany Cromwell in the white out. Lizzie Armitstead,

:03:16. > :03:17.one of the favourites for the gold medal, riding strongly throughout

:03:18. > :03:24.this race without having to do too much. Emma Pooley wisely letting it

:03:25. > :03:28.slip back, letting slip, measuring her efforts so she is still in touch

:03:29. > :03:34.with the group but maybe three seconds slower over that line than

:03:35. > :03:39.all the others. Clever riding there. Katie Archibald just staying

:03:40. > :03:43.in touch. This is exactly what Emma Pooley needed to do, she needs to

:03:44. > :03:49.get out away from the front but not be as visible, so the other riders

:03:50. > :03:56.feel some kind of obligation to do some of the pacemaking. Leah

:03:57. > :04:03.Kirchmann in the blue of Canada. Anna Christian from the Isle of

:04:04. > :04:08.Man. Certainly some power being applied here to try and close this

:04:09. > :04:13.gap. New Zealand are not happy with the make-up the group in front. If

:04:14. > :04:17.somebody does not attack from this front group soon, as we see and

:04:18. > :04:22.Pooley do just that, then I don't think it will stay away. It looked

:04:23. > :04:26.as if Rita Trotman from New Zealand was doing a turn on that front

:04:27. > :04:36.group. Really digging in. Now it is Emma Pooley once more. Into

:04:37. > :04:41.Rottenrow here, the cobbled section. It is Gracie Elvin, I think, which

:04:42. > :04:47.has tried to bridge the little gap that has opened up for Emma Pooley.

:04:48. > :04:50.It has opened up, this is another form of teamwork of course, force

:04:51. > :04:56.your opponents to have to chase, and she has done just that. She has a

:04:57. > :04:58.three to four second gap, this means that Lizzie Armitstead can sit back

:04:59. > :05:01.on the wheels and watch everybody else have to do the work, but I

:05:02. > :05:05.think it is Katie Archibald was actually doing the chasing again. It

:05:06. > :05:09.is not for her to do that. She doesn't have to take on that

:05:10. > :05:14.responsibility. She has done an awful lot of work in this race,

:05:15. > :05:17.Katie Archibald. It is playing very much into the hands of New Zealand

:05:18. > :05:23.and Australia, if she does that. This gap is going to get quickly

:05:24. > :05:26.closed, I think. Neither of the front to really want to be there,

:05:27. > :05:33.they are just trying to force a move. Just on the back of the lead

:05:34. > :05:36.group, we have not mention her for a while, Linda Villumsen, fifth in the

:05:37. > :05:40.Olympic Games road race and the gold medallist in the time trial on

:05:41. > :05:45.Thursday. She is the one who pipped Emma Pooley to the gold medal by six

:05:46. > :05:50.seconds. There she is, the silver medallist, from the other day.

:05:51. > :05:56.Looking to end her cycling career in a blaze of glory, really animating

:05:57. > :05:59.this race, Emma Pooley. Why Katie Archibald is doing the chasing at

:06:00. > :06:05.this race I don't know, when she is outnumbered here. It is not for her

:06:06. > :06:10.to do the chasing. She has an opportunity to sit in the wheels and

:06:11. > :06:14.let the others tire themselves out. She has thus far courageously stayed

:06:15. > :06:23.in touch. Now she is struggling to stay on the wheel. Hats some

:06:24. > :06:32.youthful exuberance there. -- perhaps some youthful exuberance.

:06:33. > :06:37.Villumsen just staying out of sight so when the riders look around they

:06:38. > :06:44.are not looking at her to do any chasing. Sure enough, it is coming

:06:45. > :06:47.back together now. Pooley on the front for England, Gracie Elvin, the

:06:48. > :06:51.National Champion of Australia, right on her wheel. As you say,

:06:52. > :07:00.Chris, they are all coming back together again. It was not a

:07:01. > :07:06.committed attack really, was it? Trying to force the teamwork, but

:07:07. > :07:12.Katie Archibald relieved them of that responsibility. So Elvin,

:07:13. > :07:20.Pooley, Pasio the first three riders. Armitstead responding to

:07:21. > :07:25.that straightaway. That is real tactical thinking there, no

:07:26. > :07:29.hesitation, no looking around to see who will chase, and suddenly

:07:30. > :07:32.Villumsen, who has been hanging off the back, she too is animated,

:07:33. > :07:39.straight onto the wheel of Armitstead. We can see with Linda

:07:40. > :07:42.Villumsen very much bluffing there. And Armitstead very quick to respond

:07:43. > :07:51.to that attack from Tiffany Cromwell. Tactical thinking. You can

:07:52. > :07:54.see, wait and wait all day, use up the team-mates but know instantly

:07:55. > :08:01.when it is time to use your legs to get back on terms. They will take a

:08:02. > :08:07.right-hand turn any moment now and then they will be into the finishing

:08:08. > :08:11.straight. This is our select lead group, and it will be interesting to

:08:12. > :08:14.see the time gap back to the chasers. On the line this time.

:08:15. > :08:24.Whether it is a lead that is growing... A chance to take some

:08:25. > :08:28.fluids on board. Two hours of racing completed now, very much into the

:08:29. > :08:32.closing stages, and as we said this has been an attritional experience

:08:33. > :08:37.so far. This is where we see riders start to go off the front rather

:08:38. > :08:41.than out at the back. Two laps to go, then, in the women's road race.

:08:42. > :08:48.The leading group going through, Emma Pooley, Gracie Elvin, Tiffany

:08:49. > :08:51.Cromwell, Lizzie Armitstead, Ashleigh Moolman Pasio. Katie

:08:52. > :08:58.Archibald and Linda Villumsen, they are the leading group of seven. On

:08:59. > :09:04.the last lap it was down to 21, we are now down to seven who are fully

:09:05. > :09:07.in touch. This is the next group. Depending on the make up, they could

:09:08. > :09:10.get themselves back on terms but it would take a real commitment to

:09:11. > :09:15.chase down your team-mates if that is to happen. If you do that, you

:09:16. > :09:20.have got to be sure you have got it right. Here goes Tiffany Cromwell

:09:21. > :09:25.Agger and England -- Tiffany Cromwell again and England quick to

:09:26. > :09:32.respond to that as well. It was a strong attack. Elvin has been used

:09:33. > :09:35.as the decoy, no disrespect. I think it is Cromwell that they are backing

:09:36. > :09:40.today, as the chase group comes through. Over a minute in arrears

:09:41. > :09:47.now. That flurry of action that saw them get within 30 seconds has been

:09:48. > :09:51.reduced to nothing. That will probably be the attack of Emma

:09:52. > :09:57.Pooley and Elvin down to the finish line, push them forward for maybe 20

:09:58. > :10:01.or 30 seconds. It has really gone out now. You can tell by the way

:10:02. > :10:05.they are riding, you could see that about a minute or two ago. They are

:10:06. > :10:10.starting to have a chat now, a few smiles on the faces. As you say,

:10:11. > :10:13.there are too many riders from England, New Zealand and Australia

:10:14. > :10:17.in the group, and anyone who wants to do the chasing, be it Kirchmann,

:10:18. > :10:22.Anna Christian, are basically going to have to do an awful lot on their

:10:23. > :10:24.own. You can see this front group make up for England, which is

:10:25. > :10:29.perfect, you have equal representation from the front

:10:30. > :10:32.teams, which makes everyone hesitate about chasing, which is what we are

:10:33. > :10:35.seeing, but what you want is that make up to be uneven in the

:10:36. > :10:40.villages. With Pooley and Armitstead, that is the perfect

:10:41. > :10:48.combination for the English team in front. They very much have the upper

:10:49. > :10:54.hand that everyone else knows that and are expecting them to do the

:10:55. > :10:59.lion share of the work. The penultimate lap. The rain thankfully

:11:00. > :11:12.staying away so far this morning in the women's race. Just 26 kilometres

:11:13. > :11:22.remaining now. Here's the right-hander into Buchanan Street.

:11:23. > :11:25.This race based in the heart of the city of Glasgow and out of the west

:11:26. > :11:28.end as well. Very different to the time trial which took us out to the

:11:29. > :11:52.East End and into the countryside as well. Here's the selection. We saw

:11:53. > :11:59.the Australians having a little chat at the back. I'm not sure what they

:12:00. > :12:05.were talking about but it certainly was not the planned immediate

:12:06. > :12:09.action, by the look of it. Maybe looking for the English pair to do

:12:10. > :12:11.the pacesetting. I don't think that will be too difficult now because it

:12:12. > :12:16.looks like the second group on the road has surrendered. So Emma Pooley

:12:17. > :12:20.does not have the right flat out. I don't know whether she is getting

:12:21. > :12:23.information from the team to let her know she should not drive too hard,

:12:24. > :12:32.because she has a lot of chasing to do in the last 25 kilometres of this

:12:33. > :12:37.race. There you can see the main hub, just beyond the top left of the

:12:38. > :12:49.picture there, the main Commonwealth Games hub over towards specific key.

:12:50. > :12:53.This is Saint Vincent Street -- Pacific Key.

:12:54. > :13:00.One of those riders set to become the women's race row champion.

:13:01. > :13:04.Pooley and Armitstead just keeping an eye on Tiffany Cromwell who has

:13:05. > :13:10.gone over to chat to the Australian team car again -- Pacific key. There

:13:11. > :13:13.has been plenty of discussion between the Australian team and the

:13:14. > :13:18.team management over the last two or three laps actually. Still Linda

:13:19. > :13:24.Villumsen just bides her time on the back of this group. Archibald

:13:25. > :13:34.settling back in. She was hanging on a little bit at times in the last

:13:35. > :13:48.lap also. She does not lack courage. Absolutely not. -- Pacific Quay.

:13:49. > :13:54.Gracie Elvin there in second place from Australia, another one of those

:13:55. > :14:07.riders who took part in Paris last weekend. La Course. A former

:14:08. > :14:11.professional under 23 champion in mountain bikes as well, but it is

:14:12. > :14:16.all about the road for her these days. The pace just letting up at

:14:17. > :14:32.the moment here, as Pooley eases and looks around. Ashleigh

:14:33. > :14:38.Lizzie Armitstead has had an excellent season so far. It has been

:14:39. > :14:45.a good race for her up to this point, with 24.5 kilometres. Ago.

:14:46. > :14:49.This is Linda Villumsen now for New Zealand. She has played a canny

:14:50. > :14:52.race, to be honest, possibly the most tactically astute race of the

:14:53. > :14:57.entire group. She has stayed out of sight at the back, but we just saw

:14:58. > :15:01.in the finishing straight that one flurry of activity, that showed she

:15:02. > :15:08.was just waiting and biding her time.

:15:09. > :15:15.So, Kirchmann now just brings the chase group around but it looks as

:15:16. > :15:20.if it is a decisive breakaway group, then, as the leaders continue around

:15:21. > :15:25.the penultimate lap of this women's road race, heading out of the west

:15:26. > :15:29.end, heading out to Kelvingrove Park shortly. Back now to Michelle in the

:15:30. > :15:42.studio with a look at what else is happening at the Games today.

:15:43. > :15:46.there's a lot of ways you can watch. We will be back with the

:15:47. > :15:50.women's road race and stay with it to the finish which should be in the

:15:51. > :15:54.next 20 minutes or so. Elsewhere, on BBC Three, the netball bronze medal

:15:55. > :15:59.match between England and Jamaica, England's women losing in that

:16:00. > :16:02.dramatic semifinal to New Zealand yesterday, just in the final

:16:03. > :16:10.seconds. They will be hoping to get a bronze medal as some consolation.

:16:11. > :16:13.On the red button, the all England mixed doubles badminton final

:16:14. > :16:17.between Chris and Gabby Adcock Andy Ford seeds, Chris Langridge and

:16:18. > :16:23.Heather Olver. -- and the fourth seeds will stop and there is a

:16:24. > :16:27.bronze medal match between England and New Zealand in the men's hockey

:16:28. > :16:33.which is just about to get underway. You can watch all of that on the BBC

:16:34. > :16:37.sport website. On BBC One, we will have the highlights of all of those

:16:38. > :16:38.coming up later. But let's get straight back to the closing stages

:16:39. > :16:51.of the women's road race. COMMENTATOR: Welcome back, the

:16:52. > :16:54.riders are on part quadrant. -- part quadrant. No change to the overall

:16:55. > :17:04.situation. The leading group still clear. There is Emma Pooley for

:17:05. > :17:09.England. They are on University Avenue, now, cutting through the

:17:10. > :17:14.centre of the campus. Archibald Dean followed by Tiffany Cromwell. Chris,

:17:15. > :17:19.we have had the leading group together for a little while. Do you

:17:20. > :17:27.think it will be cagey now? Will there be riders that need to split

:17:28. > :17:30.up. You have to attack, here. I don't think that Gracie Elvin, for

:17:31. > :17:35.example, and probably Cromwell, from now, they are not particularly happy

:17:36. > :17:40.with the make-up of the group. These are the cards they have been dealt

:17:41. > :17:44.and may have to make the best of it. Armitstead and Pooley are clearly in

:17:45. > :17:48.the strongest position. They have set a strong base in every crime to

:17:49. > :17:53.discourage every attacks. I suspect that Armitstead will be pressed into

:17:54. > :17:57.service, to ride as hard as she can. Armitstead looks by far the most

:17:58. > :18:01.comfortable. Katie Archibald, if she wants to do more than just finish in

:18:02. > :18:05.this group, she has done a fantastic ride so far, she will have to attack

:18:06. > :18:08.but she will be to do it on a flatter part of the course because

:18:09. > :18:12.usually struggling on the small climbs. I am interested to see what

:18:13. > :18:18.Linda Villumsen has got left in the legs. She is the dark cause. Not

:18:19. > :18:22.just in the colour of her suit. She is particularly strong, the time

:18:23. > :18:27.trial winner, not the strongest on the climbs, at a very powerful

:18:28. > :18:33.rider, who can keep bases stained effort. If she can catch them by

:18:34. > :18:37.surprised on one of the flatter sections, we will not see her again.

:18:38. > :18:45.Just an great George Street, one of the sharp inclines the circuit.

:18:46. > :18:50.Katie Archibald is clinging to the back of the group. She shows how

:18:51. > :18:56.hard this racing is. We can't see it in the face of the top riders like

:18:57. > :19:03.Pooley and Armitstead. Archibald, just riding on pure coverage. She

:19:04. > :19:09.was on from medal for three quarters of the circuit. Certainly one of the

:19:10. > :19:17.up-and-coming riders but we have a bit of a split. Linda Villumsen on

:19:18. > :19:20.the back half of it. That could be tactical but maybe it is a chink in

:19:21. > :19:25.the armour. Maybe Lizzie Armitstead can take advantage later. Armitstead

:19:26. > :19:30.thinks it is a great advantage, having raced on this course before,

:19:31. > :19:36.so she knows the effort she has to make. It is just starting to rain.

:19:37. > :19:39.It will be interesting to see how localised it is. It does not appear

:19:40. > :19:46.to be raining where they are out on the course at the moment. Probably

:19:47. > :19:52.about several kilometres away, seven or eight kilometres into the lap. We

:19:53. > :19:56.saw it in the time trial, it was incredibly isolated, but at least we

:19:57. > :20:01.know it is going to be wet. You know, even if it stops raining, if

:20:02. > :20:05.it is wet now, it will stay wet for the finish. Those last few corners,

:20:06. > :20:09.with cobblestones set into the tarmac, could make all the

:20:10. > :20:13.difference, as we switch back to the chasing group, as it has been

:20:14. > :20:19.nominally called. Personally, I think it is very unlikely they will

:20:20. > :20:23.get back on terms, now. It is not a true chasing group, you can see.

:20:24. > :20:29.They are not going flat out to try to bring it back by any stretch of

:20:30. > :20:35.the imagination. One minute 44. They are just racing for places. Just

:20:36. > :20:39.keeping a good general pace going. But the seven riders out in front

:20:40. > :20:45.will not be brought back. Having said that, I am sure that will be

:20:46. > :20:49.the case but if they manage to split off into only riders that have

:20:50. > :20:53.someone in the breakaway, and the front group continues to write

:20:54. > :20:58.steadily like this... There could be places up for grabs? They could get

:20:59. > :21:05.themselves on terms but it would be exceptional. It is possible, though.

:21:06. > :21:10.37.7, the average speed, as Emma Pooley again applied the pressure. I

:21:11. > :21:14.think half the time, this is just to stop everyone else attacking. That

:21:15. > :21:18.is the main reason she's keeping it together. She is proving to be quite

:21:19. > :21:22.determined, Emma Pooley, at the moment, out there. Getting through a

:21:23. > :21:28.lot of work. Doing some really strong riding, as ever. Where is

:21:29. > :21:33.Linda Villumsen? Is she being distanced? She is hanging off the

:21:34. > :21:38.back again. And Archibald. This is exactly the same scenario as we saw

:21:39. > :21:41.a lab ago. Archibald is digging as deep as she can and doing every

:21:42. > :21:45.thing she can but I thought Linda Villumsen would have been able to

:21:46. > :21:49.stay with this small group. She has been consistently just losing the

:21:50. > :21:54.wheels. Unless she attacks, she is not going to contest a medal, I

:21:55. > :21:56.would hazard to guess. Katie Archibald, digging deep, tried to

:21:57. > :22:03.stay in contact with the leading group. Seven of them at the front.

:22:04. > :22:07.-- trying to stay. She should just about get back on again as they go

:22:08. > :22:11.downhill but it is getting ever more difficult for. Maybe as the pace

:22:12. > :22:16.goes up and up with the kilometres ticking by, it will get harder and

:22:17. > :22:20.harder to hang in there. I think you are right. She is riding on pure

:22:21. > :22:27.courage, really. Great experience for her. She has now got a measure

:22:28. > :22:31.of what it is like to ride in company like this, the very best in

:22:32. > :22:34.the world. She is proving herself on the edge of being capable of racing

:22:35. > :22:40.with them. She can stay with them when many have not. It has been a

:22:41. > :22:46.fast pace in this race. Don't forget, she is just 20, Katie

:22:47. > :22:50.Archibald. An amazing talent, with a lot of potential still to be tapped,

:22:51. > :22:53.with her. We look forward to seeing how she progresses in the next few

:22:54. > :23:01.years. They are heading into the rain shower now. Souchiehall Street.

:23:02. > :23:07.That is just another little factor to throw into the mix in the closing

:23:08. > :23:11.stages of this race. You can see behind, they have stalled yet again.

:23:12. > :23:15.They seem happy to drive on the climbs but as soon as it is on the

:23:16. > :23:25.flat, they ease off, so they close the distance by ten seconds or so,

:23:26. > :23:28.and then it comes out again. Very frustrating for the Australians.

:23:29. > :23:35.Hoskins looked so strong early in the race but she is not going to get

:23:36. > :23:40.another chance. -- another chance at Commonwealth gold. At the front,

:23:41. > :23:47.everybody pausing to take a drink. Nobody really wants to take it on.

:23:48. > :23:50.Linda Villumsen looks behind. Armitstead, just leaving a gap,

:23:51. > :23:55.seeing if she can get the others to come around. Armitstead is trying to

:23:56. > :23:57.get herself slowly to the back. That could signal that she wants to try

:23:58. > :23:59.and get herself slowly to the back. That

:24:00. > :24:07.could signal that she wants attack. She will want to take everyone by

:24:08. > :24:13.surprise, here. Well, the sky is grey and the roads are increasingly

:24:14. > :24:19.greasy in Glasgow. Emma Pooley is continuing on the front of the

:24:20. > :24:22.leading group. We will soon be approaching the cobbles of

:24:23. > :24:27.Rottenrow, of course. They are slippery, and the organisers have

:24:28. > :24:31.put a grippy surface as they enter and exit that 50 Metre Rd but in the

:24:32. > :24:35.middle, the cobbles are fully exposed and they are like glass.

:24:36. > :24:39.They looked slippery enough even when it was dry a couple of days

:24:40. > :24:43.ago, when we were trying to check out the circuit. It was not easy to

:24:44. > :24:48.do a ready. There were lots of one-way street so we had to drive

:24:49. > :24:51.the wrong way or miss out bits altogether. With the bowl is going

:24:52. > :24:55.on at Kelvingrove Parkers well, it made life difficult. But we saw more

:24:56. > :25:02.than enough to get a real taste of the course. Touching 65 kilometres

:25:03. > :25:07.per hour, coming down here. This right-hand turn, in the middle of

:25:08. > :25:11.the city. A lot of diesel on the road and it is a bit slippery. They

:25:12. > :25:18.have to be so careful. It changes the speed they go through quite

:25:19. > :25:24.dramatically. One mistake now and the chance of a medal will slip

:25:25. > :25:27.through your fingers in an instant. George Square, on the right-hand

:25:28. > :25:36.side, the big grams in the centre of the square, for the games. -- the

:25:37. > :25:41.big grams. Various Elinor Barker. -- there is Elinor Barker. She will

:25:42. > :25:44.leave the games with a couple more models to add to her growing

:25:45. > :25:49.collection. She was so unlucky in the points race against Laura Trott.

:25:50. > :25:54.She pushed her all the way, finishing level on points, only

:25:55. > :25:58.losing on count back, on the one place in the final sprint to the end

:25:59. > :26:01.of the line at the end of the race. It is difficult to transition within

:26:02. > :26:07.the space of a week between those intense track events, and the

:26:08. > :26:14.longer, endurance events. The front group, now, has got the message that

:26:15. > :26:18.the chase is -- chasers are not making inroads and they need to

:26:19. > :26:22.start thinking about the finish. Ashleigh Moolman on the front for

:26:23. > :26:30.South Africa and Armitstead, still looking good, composed and focused.

:26:31. > :26:35.And strong. Tiffany Cromwell is the Australian in the white crash at and

:26:36. > :26:40.Gracie Elvin in the blue and green team coloured hat. That gives you a

:26:41. > :26:45.good idea of how steep the road is. It is only ten seconds but when you

:26:46. > :26:48.have gone up enough of these, as you say, 609 feet of climbing every lap,

:26:49. > :26:55.as Emma Pooley slips towards the back, here. She has given an awful

:26:56. > :26:59.lot in service of Lizzie Armitstead in this race. Linda Villumsen was

:27:00. > :27:04.certainly among the wheels on that little climb of Montrose Street.

:27:05. > :27:09.Having again been distanced a little bit on the previous climb. It is

:27:10. > :27:13.hard to tell whether it is tactical or physical. I can't see a tactical

:27:14. > :27:17.advantage to letting the wheels go, which is why we even had a question

:27:18. > :27:21.about it but when it is important, as you mentioned, she is in the

:27:22. > :27:25.wheels as Emma Pooley attacks. Having dropped off the back behind

:27:26. > :27:31.Katie Archibald, Emma Pooley makes a move on the far side of the road and

:27:32. > :27:35.Tiffany Cromwell starts to chase. That is absolutely fascinating,

:27:36. > :27:38.exactly what we said would happen, not on the climbs, which are too

:27:39. > :27:43.short, but over the top is where you can take people by surprise. She has

:27:44. > :27:47.forced the opposition into chasing. I am just wondering whether the

:27:48. > :27:51.English team will take up the bat on from the Australian teams, and start

:27:52. > :27:56.to counterattack, one after the other. -- take up the baton. They

:27:57. > :28:02.have forced the pace. I think it is still a bit early. They need to be

:28:03. > :28:07.in the final lap. Emma Pooley, not gaining any ground at the moment as

:28:08. > :28:10.Gracie Elvin makes a move. It is the Australians that sense they are

:28:11. > :28:14.about to be put onto the back foot, and have decided to grasp the

:28:15. > :28:18.initiative and force England to do the chasing. But Emma Pooley is

:28:19. > :28:23.physically capable of attacking, and going straight into a defensive move

:28:24. > :28:30.as well. It looks as though we have dodged a major shower, here, and it

:28:31. > :28:33.is clearing up again at the finish. if Lizzie Armitstead could have one

:28:34. > :28:46.team mate she could choose, this is the one. Absolutely. A super Donna

:28:47. > :28:55.steep, by anybody's understanding. -- -- a super Donna steep. -- a

:28:56. > :29:03.super domestique. Archibald, still in the mix. Learned. -- in the mix

:29:04. > :29:08.for Scotland. She's not giving in. Absolutely come you said there is a

:29:09. > :29:11.long way to go. Cromwell is making a move and Armitstead, momentarily,

:29:12. > :29:15.looking down at the handlebars but Emma Pooley will lead the chase.

:29:16. > :29:25.Ashleigh Moolman from South Africa was on her wheel and Armitstead now

:29:26. > :29:29.settling into her rhythm. A fuel of the riders starting to have a dig in

:29:30. > :29:33.the closing stages of this one. -- a few of the riders. We still have a

:29:34. > :29:37.lap and a bit to go. This is the women's road race, seven laps and a

:29:38. > :29:44.total distance of just over 98 kilometres. The showers are coming

:29:45. > :29:47.back again. These corners, I think, are going to be decisive with this

:29:48. > :29:54.weather. It is really raining hard, now. Lizzie Armitstead, ever

:29:55. > :29:58.attentive. You can see the changes in the surface, all the time. We

:29:59. > :30:02.have got these decorative cobbled strips running through the tarmac

:30:03. > :30:08.and this paved section, this has suddenly become widely repeated

:30:09. > :30:13.glass to ride on. -- like lubricated glass. It has changed the circuit

:30:14. > :30:29.completely. That does not sound terribly grippy.

:30:30. > :30:40.Emma Pooley in the front at the moment, Lizzie Armitstead in third.

:30:41. > :30:47.Then it is Tiffany Cromwell, Katie Archibald and Linda Villumsen, and

:30:48. > :30:51.it is coming down in stair rods now. As they prepare to take the bell,

:30:52. > :30:53.they have still got a couple of right-hand turns before they come

:30:54. > :30:59.into the finishing straight. Armitstead still looking good here,

:31:00. > :31:02.Chris, though. Just looking round at the opposition, trying to gauge

:31:03. > :31:08.everyone, see what position they are in. Emma Pooley. She is very clear

:31:09. > :31:12.on her role. I am the one that has to keep the pace high, I will keep

:31:13. > :31:18.everyone pinned in place until it is Lizzie Armitstead wants to do the

:31:19. > :31:23.attacking. And Villumsen is just the unknown, isn't she? Staying upright

:31:24. > :31:25.on some of these corners has suddenly become another factor as

:31:26. > :31:30.well, yet another thing to think about when the pressure is on at the

:31:31. > :31:33.end of this race. From the athlete 's perspective, the upside of it

:31:34. > :31:37.being a circuit is that they get the chance to become very familiar with

:31:38. > :31:46.the roads they are on. Coming into the finishing straight now.

:31:47. > :31:52.And still seven riders in with a chance of becoming the Commonwealth

:31:53. > :31:57.Games road race champion. Will Australia win this race again, as

:31:58. > :32:04.they tend to do? Rochelle Gilmore the winner in Delhi. The best effort

:32:05. > :32:11.for England so far, since it was first held back in 1990, silver, and

:32:12. > :32:17.for Lizzie four years ago. Rachel Heal also won bronze in 2002. Three

:32:18. > :32:21.medals for England over the years, none of them gold yet. Four of the

:32:22. > :32:25.six races have been won by Australians. I find it hard to

:32:26. > :32:32.believe this race is going to come down to a sprint. I am not sure the

:32:33. > :32:36.Australians would be comfortable that Elvin or Cromwell could take it

:32:37. > :32:41.in a sprint. Surely there has to be an attack in this last lap? Surely

:32:42. > :32:45.Linda Villumsen would be one of the favourites if it came down to a mass

:32:46. > :32:51.Halep at the end, so surely we have to see some attacking in the next

:32:52. > :32:55.few kph? Really we could do with the riders who are individuals in here

:32:56. > :32:59.to attack as if they were a team, so not help each other, but not

:33:00. > :33:06.counterattack or chase down, as we saw Katie Archibald doing before. A

:33:07. > :33:08.fascinating final 14 kph in front of us here, as this race plays out over

:33:09. > :33:18.the last lap of seven. -- 14 us here, as this race plays out over

:33:19. > :33:20.front of us here. On the soggy streets of Glasgow, Pooley still

:33:21. > :33:28.riding on the front, riding comfortably. Lizzie Armitstead

:33:29. > :33:35.tucked away their in fifth place. Archibald in the blue for Scotland.

:33:36. > :33:39.-- tucked away there. Who is going to attack, who is going to put their

:33:40. > :33:47.cards on the table first here? Who is going to leave it to a sprint, or

:33:48. > :33:51.hope they can leave it to a sprint? I would say that Emma Pooley must

:33:52. > :33:56.have done 90% of the work on the front, since this group was

:33:57. > :33:59.established. I am not going to call it a breakaway, because I am not

:34:00. > :34:04.exactly sure it was an attack, as much as it was a strong pace and

:34:05. > :34:09.others just couldn't live with it. It was more of an attrition or

:34:10. > :34:15.whittling down process. -- attritional. We have had a decisive

:34:16. > :34:25.group for some time in this race now. Here's the second group on the

:34:26. > :34:31.road. Anna Christian on the left-hand side of your picture. The

:34:32. > :34:36.sun is coming out now. I don't think it will be soon enough to dry out

:34:37. > :34:39.the roads though. There will be a rainbow somewhere. Amy Roberts in

:34:40. > :34:43.the middle of that group for Wales as well. England still represented,

:34:44. > :34:49.I can see Hannah Barnes and Lucy Garner. Here we are on Argyle

:34:50. > :34:54.Street, this will be an interesting corner onto Buchanan Street, as they

:34:55. > :34:59.go through the chicane. May be the Australians are banking on a sprint.

:35:00. > :35:04.Elvin the better of the two, and maybe that is what they are going to

:35:05. > :35:12.bank on today. Just follow the wheels, see how it plays out. That

:35:13. > :35:15.is how she won her national title. But I can't help thinking that

:35:16. > :35:20.Armitstead would be the better sprinter in this group. Everybody

:35:21. > :35:33.safely round onto the slippery paving slabs.

:35:34. > :35:40.The weather, in stark contrast to the opening day of these Games. We

:35:41. > :35:45.have had everything at the same time here, it is sunny and pouring with

:35:46. > :35:50.rain at the same time. Indecisive. It is sunny at the finish now, they

:35:51. > :35:54.are only about two streets away, it hasn't reached there yet. They will

:35:55. > :35:58.make a left-hand turn into St Vincent Street. It is suddenly all

:35:59. > :36:04.got very, very tactical. It is cagey and it has become tense. The one to

:36:05. > :36:08.me that I can't work out what she is going to do is Linda Villumsen, she

:36:09. > :36:12.is hanging at the back all the way through, we are down to just 12

:36:13. > :36:16.kilometres to go now. Maybe she will launch one more attack, because a

:36:17. > :36:19.rider of her calibre, I just come believe she will see it through to

:36:20. > :36:22.the finish and have a sprint and see what happens, I am sure she will be

:36:23. > :36:31.more proactive than that. And they are nearly coming to a standstill

:36:32. > :36:33.here. Very, very tactical here, that was Lizzie Armitstead just

:36:34. > :36:35.freewheeling to the edge of the road and now back to the middle. Ashleigh

:36:36. > :36:38.Moolman on the right-hand side of your picture from South Africa,

:36:39. > :36:43.Cromwell in the white hat, the South African just asked up the pace

:36:44. > :36:46.again. Villumsen is in third, in the Black of New Zealand. That was the

:36:47. > :36:49.right thing to do, but not necessarily from the front. If she

:36:50. > :36:53.had actually done that from an attack, it actually might have been

:36:54. > :36:58.allowed to work while the other two teams looked at each other and

:36:59. > :37:01.decided who was going to chase. So, very strong to still be in this

:37:02. > :37:04.group and looking relatively comfortable, but tactically a little

:37:05. > :37:16.bit naive there, I have to say. Archibald again on the back. And

:37:17. > :37:19.Pooley, who had been loitering at the back of that group for the last

:37:20. > :37:22.couple of minutes, I was just wondering whether we had seen the

:37:23. > :37:26.last of her at the front or not, well there is the answer. The

:37:27. > :37:32.Australians know what is happening here, they know that Pooley is being

:37:33. > :37:35.used to draw the string, and it is frustrating, because there's nothing

:37:36. > :37:39.they can do about it. She is so strong, they can't let have any

:37:40. > :37:42.leeway. Even then they allowed her to have three or four seconds

:37:43. > :37:48.advantage before they got onto the chase. Bike handling skills suddenly

:37:49. > :37:53.coming into this race now. She is making the race happened now on this

:37:54. > :37:57.last lap. Our camera motorbikes are getting very close to the action

:37:58. > :38:00.here. It is OK from the side, but when they are in front they are

:38:01. > :38:05.really aiding the breakaway attempts. Lizzie Armitstead had a

:38:06. > :38:08.problem with that in the national championships and believe that the

:38:09. > :38:12.camera motorbikes played a part in her losing that the title earlier

:38:13. > :38:18.this year. Katie Archibald just off the back of the group here. This is

:38:19. > :38:23.perfect for Lizzie Armitstead. The Australians forced to do all of the

:38:24. > :38:29.chasing. A beautiful shot there from a tourist 's point of view, but not

:38:30. > :38:33.for the riders. Emma Pooley has got a gap there. This has become very

:38:34. > :38:38.serious for the Australian two, perfect for the England team. They

:38:39. > :38:40.have forced the Australians in the chasing. This is very, very

:38:41. > :38:43.interesting here, as Emma Pooley chasing. This is very, very

:38:44. > :38:50.races through the streets towards the West End. Shara Gillow, sorry,

:38:51. > :38:54.Tiffany Cromwell leading the chase for Australia. Three seconds lead,

:38:55. > :38:56.Tiffany Cromwell leading the chase it is very slender, all she needs is

:38:57. > :39:02.a couple of small climbs, which she is going to get shortly, and that

:39:03. > :39:07.could be enough to let Pooley force this gap to happen. Wouldn't it be a

:39:08. > :39:11.fantastic way for her to finish her career? Still a lot can happen in

:39:12. > :39:16.the final 10.3 kilometres, but working well at the moment from

:39:17. > :39:19.England's point of view, with Lizzie Armitstead sitting there and

:39:20. > :39:22.allowing others to chase and tire themselves out, and Katie Archibald

:39:23. > :39:25.in that familiar position, trying to hang on to the coat-tails of that

:39:26. > :39:27.leading group that they look as though they are starting to

:39:28. > :39:33.disappear into the distance as they go into Kelvingrove Park. This could

:39:34. > :39:41.be the death knell for Archibald. I am not sure the pace will ease for

:39:42. > :39:47.long enough. Emma Pooley has been pegged to seconds, and all it needs

:39:48. > :39:52.is one slight ease behind and she will be away and she went be seen

:39:53. > :39:55.again. At the moment, she is drawing the sting of some of the others, but

:39:56. > :40:01.as you say, Chris, if it works her way, she could end up winning the

:40:02. > :40:06.whole thing. It looks like they are pulling her back now. Yes, Gracie

:40:07. > :40:13.Elvin now is doing the chasing. With Tiffany Cromwell. Lizzie Armitstead

:40:14. > :40:20.just sitting on their heels. Pooley is cornering really well in these

:40:21. > :40:24.terrible conditions. And it is just being held at a steady 50 metres.

:40:25. > :40:28.That is all you need. If you can keep it at 50 metres until that

:40:29. > :40:33.happens, just a slight ease while there is a changing of the guard,

:40:34. > :40:38.and you grab another ten metres and another ten metres, it could be made

:40:39. > :40:41.to stick. A war of attrition it is. Archibald Justus know when to give

:40:42. > :40:46.up, she is absolutely giving anything to try and hang in there.

:40:47. > :40:52.-- just doesn't know when to give up. We are on University Avenue, not

:40:53. > :40:55.quite on great George Street yet. This is deep enough for Pooley. She

:40:56. > :41:00.has done an awful lot of work in this race so far in service to

:41:01. > :41:03.Lizzie Armitstead, who is in the perfect position, sat in the

:41:04. > :41:07.wheels, just watching to see how it develops, but wouldn't it be

:41:08. > :41:13.fantastic if Emma Pooley could pull this off? And she has got some more,

:41:14. > :41:17.Simon. Absolutely, England do have two very strong cards here, but Emma

:41:18. > :41:21.Pooley in a great position in this race. We just had a little glimpse

:41:22. > :41:25.of the chasing group, and they stop to look at each other, that is all

:41:26. > :41:29.Pooley needs. If she keeps the pressure onto the next two

:41:30. > :41:33.kilometres, she can take this title. If they just up momentarily, it

:41:34. > :41:37.could give Katie Archibald the chance to drive back onto the end of

:41:38. > :41:43.that group. Here is the front of the race once more. Out on Byres Road,

:41:44. > :41:49.the furthest point of the course. This is the decisive moment for Emma

:41:50. > :41:52.Pooley. This is not her favoured terrain here, she has got to make it

:41:53. > :41:57.stick for these few 100 metres until she gets back onto the next climb.

:41:58. > :42:02.She could gain a little bit more now as they go to great George Street,

:42:03. > :42:08.one of the steep, nasty little climbs, a real strength. One of the

:42:09. > :42:12.few who could disrupt things here is Linda Villumsen, sat at the back

:42:13. > :42:16.just watching. But has she got the strength to do that? I am sure she

:42:17. > :42:21.has to try something because otherwise she could end up with no

:42:22. > :42:25.medal at all very easily. Tiffany Cromwell I think leading the chase

:42:26. > :42:30.for Australia. Actually, it is Lizzie Armitstead who is going

:42:31. > :42:34.across. Armitstead wants this title. It was Cromwell who looked as though

:42:35. > :42:37.she had instigated it in the gutter, but Lizzie Armitstead straight up

:42:38. > :42:42.the middle-of-the-road go straight past her own team-mate. Well, she

:42:43. > :42:45.wants this title, she has so often got second place is in major

:42:46. > :42:51.competitions, she wants to make this one has, and that was such a

:42:52. > :42:55.powerful attack. They had absolutely no answer there at all. An

:42:56. > :42:59.incredible surge from Lizzie Armitstead, right at the centre of

:43:00. > :43:05.the road, and this is her bid for glory. It was perfect teamwork

:43:06. > :43:09.actually, Pooley just can't be ignored, they had to work so hard,

:43:10. > :43:12.Lizzie Armitstead sat on the back of the two Australians, let them work,

:43:13. > :43:19.until they thought -- she thought they had been softened up enough and

:43:20. > :43:23.then she attacked. Here is the front of the race. And behind I do think

:43:24. > :43:28.Pooley has given up, so we could see a gold and silver going to England

:43:29. > :43:32.here, with that fantastic set of tactical moves that they employed.

:43:33. > :43:37.That was just such a strong move up that climb up great George Street

:43:38. > :43:41.from Lizzie Armitstead. She has looked so comfortable in this race.

:43:42. > :43:49.Here's Emma Pooley, still driving ahead in second. Behind is Villumsen

:43:50. > :43:53.and Cromwell. Here comes Emma Pooley, she has not given up yet, as

:43:54. > :43:57.you say. Armitstead has made her dead. There rather chases, it is

:43:58. > :44:01.Villumsen and I am sure it is Tiffany Cromwell, third and fourth.

:44:02. > :44:08.There are way too many motorbikes now getting involved in this race.

:44:09. > :44:09.They give a tremendous amount of support to the riders

:44:10. > :44:13.They give a tremendous amount of slipstream and measured not be there

:44:14. > :44:18.in the gap that is just 15 metres wide. They need to make sure they

:44:19. > :44:22.are out of the way and allow the race to evolve, with Armitstead

:44:23. > :44:27.pressing on. No time to hang about. Pooley not too far behind her. She

:44:28. > :44:30.has the bit between her teeth now. This is the second concerted effort

:44:31. > :44:34.I have see her make in this entire race, and tactically she has written

:44:35. > :44:38.this beautifully. Pooley holding onto the silver medal position but

:44:39. > :44:42.it is still far from a done deal. You look behind you, the race is

:44:43. > :44:46.just 50 metres behind her, this is going to go all the way to the line,

:44:47. > :44:50.even if it is not a sprint. What a final lap we have here, Lizzie

:44:51. > :44:55.Armitstead from England, so close four years ago in Delhi, now taking

:44:56. > :45:00.on Park Circus for the last time, the seventh and final time here in

:45:01. > :45:04.this women's road race. Despite that super strong attack that put her

:45:05. > :45:08.into the lead, Lizzie Armitstead is pegged at maybe 100 metres at the

:45:09. > :45:12.moment, so this race is still up for grabs here, just depending on what

:45:13. > :45:15.is happening behind. The motorbike cameras seem to have stayed with

:45:16. > :45:20.Armitstead and Pooley but we would really like to have a good look at

:45:21. > :45:23.what the chases are doing. As you say, Lizzie Armitstead Willie has

:45:24. > :45:31.the bit between her teeth that you can sense that Emma Pooley is still

:45:32. > :45:35.not too far the hind. -- behind. This motorbike should not be

:45:36. > :45:37.interfering in the race. She's getting tremendous assistance from

:45:38. > :45:41.it and that could be one of the things that is keeping the gap down.

:45:42. > :45:45.Even if she did get back to Lizzie Armitstead, Armitstead is the

:45:46. > :45:49.stronger sprinter by far. But it looks like it has bit up behind.

:45:50. > :46:00.Tiffany Cromwell and Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio. Ashleigh Pasio has

:46:01. > :46:05.written a very canny race, kept with them but not really touched the

:46:06. > :46:08.front until the final lap. Back onto Souchiehall Street. She is heading

:46:09. > :46:12.back in towards the centre, as you can see. Five and a half kilometres

:46:13. > :46:15.to go before the end of the race. At the moment, it is looking good for

:46:16. > :46:21.Lizzie Armitstead of England, but she is far from home and hosed. Emma

:46:22. > :46:24.Pooley is in second on her own. Will she finish with the silver medal for

:46:25. > :46:30.the second time in the last few days? She is not necessarily the

:46:31. > :46:34.sharpest of the riders but she is very consistent. If you give her

:46:35. > :46:39.just 50 metres, she is not going to be easy to take back. This is the

:46:40. > :46:42.race of the bronze medal, Linda Villumsen in the black, Ashleigh

:46:43. > :46:46.Moolman-Pasio South Africa and Tiffany Cromwell of Australia. 13

:46:47. > :46:52.seconds the lead that Lizzie Armitstead has been given. I don't

:46:53. > :46:55.know if that is over Emma Pooley but it might be. Behind her, it looks

:46:56. > :46:59.like the chasers behind Pooley have lost

:47:00. > :47:02.like the chasers behind Pooley have Villumsen, well, I expected more

:47:03. > :47:05.from her tactically in this event. She has found herself in the fight

:47:06. > :47:09.for the bronze medal and I think that is what it will remain. They

:47:10. > :47:15.are working between themselves but they don't look committed to try to

:47:16. > :47:18.overhaul Emma Pooley. Of the leading group seven, Katie Archibald of

:47:19. > :47:21.Scotland and Gracie Elvin of Australia are the two who appear to

:47:22. > :47:26.be out of the race for any of the medals. This is the race for the

:47:27. > :47:31.bronze. Lizzie Armitstead on her own up ahead, ahead of Emma Pooley. At

:47:32. > :47:36.the moment, and England one-two in the women's road race. They are

:47:37. > :47:39.starting to look at each other. If that is the decision may have made,

:47:40. > :47:42.they would be better off to stop riding and just think about

:47:43. > :47:50.sprinting and attacking. Just riding through is not helping any of them.

:47:51. > :47:54.This is a great ride by Armitstead. It was a very courageous thing to

:47:55. > :47:57.do, to chase your team-mate when she already had a winning gap. It was

:47:58. > :48:02.one of those moves that you either make it work or you will not be

:48:03. > :48:07.popular in the clubhouse. She went storming past Pooley. She was the

:48:08. > :48:10.protective rider. It was her responsibility to take the victory.

:48:11. > :48:16.Through Nelson Mandela Place for the last time. Lizzie Armitstead, at the

:48:17. > :48:21.moment, in pole position for the gold medal. Here comes Emma Pooley.

:48:22. > :48:28.What a ride from her as well, in her final race before retirement, superb

:48:29. > :48:34.from start to finish. Armitstead is still looking composed. Well, she

:48:35. > :48:38.has got the medal, now. She can keep it together, keep the pressure on.

:48:39. > :48:42.She has got a couple more seconds. She's being given the gaps. She

:48:43. > :48:47.knows what is going on behind her. She just has to negotiate one last

:48:48. > :48:54.climb, and a tricky little ride through Rottenrow, coming down to

:48:55. > :48:58.the finish. Emma Pooley has extended her lead. I don't think she will be

:48:59. > :49:02.seen again, either. We are looking at gold and silver, here. Far more

:49:03. > :49:05.likely to be a game between Qatar mouse between these three, the

:49:06. > :49:11.closer they get to the finishing line, as they go to -- go for the

:49:12. > :49:20.bronze medal. But back with the leader. It is hurting but she knows

:49:21. > :49:25.it is going to be worth it. Digging deep, now, the last climb of the

:49:26. > :49:30.Commonwealth Games road race. She is over the top, now, just the corners

:49:31. > :49:34.to negotiate before she drives back down to Glasgow Green. She will be

:49:35. > :49:38.glad to see the back of Montrose Street, as will Emma Pooley. This

:49:39. > :49:43.has been a fantastic ride by her. She has done so much work in this

:49:44. > :49:47.race. The English team have ridden so well as a team. They have been

:49:48. > :49:51.focused throughout the race. They have been decisive in everything

:49:52. > :49:54.they have done. And now Tiffany Cromwell is trying to get away from

:49:55. > :49:58.the other two in the race for the bronze medal. It is not impossible

:49:59. > :50:05.that with an attack like this, Cromwell could close the gap to Emma

:50:06. > :50:08.Pooley. I think it is unlikely. Emma Pooley has been doing an awful lot

:50:09. > :50:16.of work in this race and the terrain is not ideal for chasing back. They

:50:17. > :50:19.have managed a gap between themselves and Linda Villumsen on

:50:20. > :50:22.the final climb. Cromwell, potentially managing to get rid of

:50:23. > :50:28.Linda Villumsen, as you say but here is the leader once more. Just

:50:29. > :50:33.turning into Rottenrow, 50 metres of cobbles. You can see the special

:50:34. > :50:36.surface they have put down to stop the cobbles being too slippery but

:50:37. > :50:43.she is no stranger to riding on this surface. She said ahead of this that

:50:44. > :50:48.she absolutely loves this course, and the harder the race, the better

:50:49. > :50:52.for her. In the end, it was Lizzie Armitstead who made it really hard

:50:53. > :50:55.on the final lap. Linda Villumsen, trying to stay in contention for the

:50:56. > :50:58.bronze as the attack comes from Tiffany Cromwell once more to try to

:50:59. > :51:03.get rid of Ashleigh Moolman of South Africa. She might miss out on a

:51:04. > :51:12.medal, Linda Villumsen but she has a ready got a gold. She can consult

:51:13. > :51:16.herself with that. -- already got. She can consult herself. I thought

:51:17. > :51:20.she might be waiting for a tactical move but it looked like she was not

:51:21. > :51:29.using her energy well and did not have any more to give. A slippery

:51:30. > :51:33.corner, now. Steady, around the right-hander. They begin the run

:51:34. > :51:37.into the heart of the city. Here is Lizzie Armitstead. She knows how to

:51:38. > :51:42.win on this course, having already done so, a year ago, taking the

:51:43. > :51:47.national title. On London Road, which will bring her back to Glasgow

:51:48. > :51:50.Green. The final few bends will line her up alongside the River Clyde,

:51:51. > :51:58.then back up to the finishing straight. One lap of the park to

:51:59. > :52:02.go. Less than two kilometres to go now, the Lizzie Armitstead of

:52:03. > :52:08.England. Motivated by near misses in recent times. So close, in the rain,

:52:09. > :52:12.in the London Olympics, beating by Marianne Voss in front of Buckingham

:52:13. > :52:17.Palace. -- beaten by. She is not going to be denied, today. Emma

:52:18. > :52:21.Pooley, the chaser, out on the road, heading for her second silver medal

:52:22. > :52:25.of the week. A worthy and popular silver medal, two, heading fast

:52:26. > :52:31.towards retirement, after an illustrious career. You can see the

:52:32. > :52:37.fight for bronze is starting to take shape. It looks like it will come

:52:38. > :52:43.down to a strength. -- sprint. But not for Lizzie Armitstead. She is

:52:44. > :52:48.looking good on the bike, as she has done throughout this race, focused,

:52:49. > :52:51.composed, and very much in form. Lizzie Armitstead is going to win

:52:52. > :53:00.this one in a grand manner, on her own. One well timed attack, after

:53:01. > :53:05.some beautiful teamwork, self-sacrificing from Emma Pooley,

:53:06. > :53:09.wearing down the opposition. Lizzie Armitstead timed her move to

:53:10. > :53:12.perfection. Well, it is all very well being the favourite for the

:53:13. > :53:16.gold-medal but you still have to make it happen. You have to deal

:53:17. > :53:21.with the pressure of the expectation. Lizzie Armitstead has

:53:22. > :53:25.more than done that, here. This has been an absolutely superb ride. It

:53:26. > :53:29.is going to lead to the gold medal in the next minute or so. A couple

:53:30. > :53:33.of right-handers, and then she will see the welcome sight of the

:53:34. > :53:37.finishing line, directly in front of her. The whole England team took

:53:38. > :53:42.this race by the scruff of the neck. I wondered if they were doing too

:53:43. > :53:45.much, too early but they used their troops beautifully. Nobody would be

:53:46. > :53:50.more welcomed by Lizzie Armitstead's side in the breakaway

:53:51. > :53:53.than Emma Pooley. A fantastic tactical and physical race. The race

:53:54. > :53:58.than the bronze medal is very much on behind. Emma Pooley is heading

:53:59. > :54:03.for the silver medal. Here comes the final turn, for Lizzie Armitstead.

:54:04. > :54:07.She can enjoy the moment. This will not be a sprint to the line, but a

:54:08. > :54:13.ride to glory and gold for Lizzie Armitstead. So close, four years

:54:14. > :54:17.ago, in Delhi, tipped on the line by Rochelle Gilmore in the sprint, and

:54:18. > :54:22.so close in London, losing out to Marianne Voss. She will not be

:54:23. > :54:29.denied in Glasgow. Lizzie Armitstead is going to take the gold medal.

:54:30. > :54:32.Nobody insight. Nobody close. -- within sight. It is gold, for Lizzie

:54:33. > :54:40.Armitstead and England in the women's road race. She is absolutely

:54:41. > :54:45.delighted. At last she crosses the line in first place. Always in the

:54:46. > :54:50.hunt but coming in second. And now Emma Pooley. What a fantastic ride

:54:51. > :54:53.in her final race. She is going to retire as she crosses the line, with

:54:54. > :55:00.silver in the time trial on Thursday, very emotional, now. It

:55:01. > :55:04.was a superb effort. It has yielded a second silver medal of the week.

:55:05. > :55:09.And the curtain comes down on a fantastic cycling career, that has

:55:10. > :55:14.included a World Championship gold medal and an Olympic silver. It is

:55:15. > :55:18.her second Commonwealth Games silver from Glasgow, 2014. And now the race

:55:19. > :55:22.is on the bronze medal and Linda Villumsen of New Zealand has come

:55:23. > :55:25.back into it, on the front at the moment with Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio

:55:26. > :55:32.behind her, and Tiffany Cromwell of Australia. Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio

:55:33. > :55:36.comes to the front, for South Africa. I am not sure if Tiffany

:55:37. > :55:41.Cromwell has got these bread to come past her, or has she? Elbow to

:55:42. > :55:49.elbow, towards the line. Maybe Tiffany Cromwell is just timing it

:55:50. > :56:00.to perfection. It was so close. And what a shot, there. It is an English

:56:01. > :56:05.one-two, for Armitstead and Pooley. Beautifully executed ride by the

:56:06. > :56:10.English team. It was absolutely textbook, some beautiful riding. Not

:56:11. > :56:16.just physically, but tactically as well. What a fantastic spread the

:56:17. > :56:24.bronze medal. Do you know? It might have gone to South Africa. I don't

:56:25. > :56:30.think Cromwell got it. It may well have gone to the South African. A

:56:31. > :56:34.celebratory hug from Linda Villumsen, who tasted victory

:56:35. > :56:38.herself a few days ago. Here comes Katie Archibald, behind Gracie

:56:39. > :56:42.Elvin. A tremendous roar for the 20-year-old as she comes towards the

:56:43. > :56:46.line. It was a brave ride from Archibald. She hung in with the

:56:47. > :56:53.leaders for a long time in this race before finally having to give way.

:56:54. > :56:59.And there, sixth place, taken on the line by Gracie Elvin, and Katie

:57:00. > :57:02.Archibald in seven, two minutes and 19 seconds down. There is the

:57:03. > :57:09.winner, Lizzie Armitstead. Chris, she dealt with the pressure so

:57:10. > :57:17.well. She is all ready with Jill Douglas. That is a beautiful smile

:57:18. > :57:22.for the Commonwealth champion, to be denied in Delhi and London, what

:57:23. > :57:26.does this mean to you? I can call myself a champion and not runner-up.

:57:27. > :57:30.I have been runner-up the whole season. I was never off the podium

:57:31. > :57:35.but only three wins. I'm really happy. It was textbook, what a

:57:36. > :57:39.fantastic team performance. It is the best cycling team work I have

:57:40. > :57:43.ever been apart. It is such a shame that Emma Pooley is retiring today

:57:44. > :57:47.and we finally got it sorted. Fantastic job from all of the girls.

:57:48. > :57:52.I was ready proud of them. Emma Pooley really animated the race,

:57:53. > :57:57.took the sting out of the Australians' legs, and when you came

:57:58. > :58:03.past, it was like a train. It was a difficult situation. I saw they did

:58:04. > :58:07.not quite have the speed. I was so easy for the whole race. I did not

:58:08. > :58:12.touch the front. I thought, win or lose, I'm going for it. How did it

:58:13. > :58:17.feel to cross the line? Special, surreal, something I've always dream

:58:18. > :58:21.about. It means so much to me. A fantastic win and no ill effects

:58:22. > :58:26.after last week's crash in Paris? Just a few cuts and bruises. What do

:58:27. > :58:31.you have to say to the young lady standing beside you? Just a massive

:58:32. > :58:39.thank you. Cycling is a beautiful sport, team sport and it often gets

:58:40. > :58:41.overlooked so I'm delighted for you getting the silver. So often, a

:58:42. > :58:46.team-mate does not get the medal and the podium but to see Emma Pooley

:58:47. > :58:49.with another silver medal... Don't say I'm disappointed. We saw it

:58:50. > :58:54.meant so much to you coming over the line. It was quite unexpected. I did

:58:55. > :58:59.not think, we were working for Lizzie and I wanted to give

:59:00. > :59:04.everything, you don't do a half job, because I'm not as strong as her

:59:05. > :59:07.inner road race. But when she came past me, I was still clear, and I

:59:08. > :59:12.thought I might as deep going if they were not on my wheel. You take

:59:13. > :59:16.the chances you get. Really pleased. Lizzie rode a perfect race but she

:59:17. > :59:20.had a good team behind her. I don't know if you saw the whole race but

:59:21. > :59:25.the young girls are really strong. It is great and the future is

:59:26. > :59:29.bright. I don't feel like I am letting anyone down. There will be

:59:30. > :59:33.plenty of riders to keep us going. This is your last major race, as

:59:34. > :59:37.well. That brings its own emotion. Definitely, and it was nice to

:59:38. > :59:43.finish on a high, I have to say. I was not dreading it but I have a lot

:59:44. > :59:47.of respect for road racers, and anything can happen. I was so happy

:59:48. > :59:51.after the time trial. I was worried I might not do my job in the road

:59:52. > :59:55.race properly. I'm pleased we got it right. It is a lovely way to finish

:59:56. > :00:01.in this sport. It is really nice and I know my family is watching. And

:00:02. > :00:07.lots of friends. It has been a long nine years. I am really happy. And

:00:08. > :00:13.the crowd was amazing as well. Sorry, I'm getting all pathetic in

:00:14. > :00:24.my old age! It was really lovely. You did us proud. Congratulations.

:00:25. > :00:32.Crisp Boardman alongside me, a stunning performance from Lizzie

:00:33. > :00:38.Armitstead. It was a fantastic race, and I thought maybe the New Zealand

:00:39. > :00:43.team -- the England team played their cards too early but they use

:00:44. > :00:47.their numbers perfectly. Emma Pooley's name was in dispatches all

:00:48. > :00:52.the way through the attacking, chasing, whatever it might be, she

:00:53. > :00:57.was doing it. The race came down to about 20 riders very quickly after

:00:58. > :01:00.the start, and it was Australia who initially began to animate it. They

:01:01. > :01:03.clearly decided, and I am not sure it was the right thing to do, but

:01:04. > :01:08.they decided they would try to force the breakaway. For the first 20

:01:09. > :01:10.riders going through the corners it is not too difficult to sit in the

:01:11. > :01:16.wheels, so it was easy for their opponents to follow. I think the

:01:17. > :01:19.likes of Hoskins must be bitterly disappointed that they did not make

:01:20. > :01:26.the breakaway there. Katie Archibald, who rode very vaguely for

:01:27. > :01:33.Scotland is with Jill now. Katie, a very strong ride. -- rode very

:01:34. > :01:40.bravely full stop a very gutsy performance. Probably an atomic blow

:01:41. > :01:44.at the end, for the last three laps I knew, I was thinking I am screwed

:01:45. > :01:50.here, I am so screwed. It was just holding on for as long as I could.

:01:51. > :01:56.It was nice to finish close at the end. Seventh is seventh. Hey Ho. The

:01:57. > :02:00.summary who obviously trains for the track, and you have not gone huge

:02:01. > :02:05.amount of bunched road racing to get into that break was important and an

:02:06. > :02:08.impressive ride. Yes, there were two attacks I saw that had Pooley and

:02:09. > :02:13.Armitstead, and I thought you have to go with that. It is only seeing

:02:14. > :02:18.as far as you can see are not thinking about the whole race. I

:02:19. > :02:24.thought I had not gone over two hours and about a month now. I am

:02:25. > :02:28.pretty pleased with how it went. Not to make excuses, but I am happy, I

:02:29. > :02:33.think that is really good for me. A lot of people out there willing you

:02:34. > :02:43.on. Yes, God, that was mad. You just forgot about the more tired I get

:02:44. > :02:48.the pushing was coming from higher up my body, and eventually was just

:02:49. > :02:50.coming from my ears. A brave and courageous ride from Katie

:02:51. > :02:56.Archibald, and a great games she has had. Emma Pooley, it was lap five

:02:57. > :03:01.when things started to make the decisive selection. She just drove

:03:02. > :03:05.so hard, she just blew the group apart. It was not even an attack.

:03:06. > :03:09.She just broke it down to five riders, seven riders, then she sat

:03:10. > :03:13.on the front and roads to keep it together. Lots of chats with Lizzie

:03:14. > :03:18.Armitstead. Deciding the tactics. And then that final attack, which

:03:19. > :03:23.was incredible. That final attack that we saw on the final lap before

:03:24. > :03:28.Lizzie eventually went, the idea there was what exactly? She just

:03:29. > :03:31.wanted to draw the string. You had to strong competitors with the

:03:32. > :03:34.Australian and an unknown in Villumsen, which did not turn out at

:03:35. > :03:39.the end, but with the Australians you could not let them take the

:03:40. > :03:42.initiative. Pooley attacked and she can't be ignored, she forced them to

:03:43. > :03:46.chase, even when she only had 30 metres, she stuck at it. They both

:03:47. > :03:52.had to get into the chase. Meanwhile, Lizzie Armitstead wakened

:03:53. > :03:55.in the wheels until they had been softened up enough -- waited in the

:03:56. > :03:59.wheels will stop that is a courageous thing to do, when you

:04:00. > :04:02.have a team-mate in a winning position to attack and potentially

:04:03. > :04:07.bring the race back to them, that is a dangerous thing to do. In

:04:08. > :04:13.Lizzie's mind, winning was the only thing on her mind off the back of

:04:14. > :04:22.two silver medals in Delhi and at the Olympics. She knew she could do

:04:23. > :04:26.it. In terms of Lizzie's career, it is the biggest win so far. This

:04:27. > :04:29.might be a springboard on the even greater things. In terms of the

:04:30. > :04:33.British public, apart from London, we have not seen her so much. It has

:04:34. > :04:38.all been about the girls on the track. Lizzie has hardly been out of

:04:39. > :04:42.the top five in all of the racing she has done this year. A tremendous

:04:43. > :04:46.competitor. Just hasn't quite been getting that finishing it off at the

:04:47. > :04:50.end. This is her first big breakthrough, so hopefully that will

:04:51. > :04:54.make a difference to her. Also very bravely, she fell in Paris in the

:04:55. > :04:57.race at the end of the Tour de France, and when the rain started

:04:58. > :05:02.come down on that last lap, you might start to get a bit tentative

:05:03. > :05:05.on the bike. I think they all were. One of the benefits of having a real

:05:06. > :05:09.circuit, apart from the spectators, for a championship is that they get

:05:10. > :05:12.to know and understand the roads they are on and get a feel for it.

:05:13. > :05:18.All of that changed when it started raining at the end and changed it

:05:19. > :05:21.into a different circuit. Let's see that great moment when Lizzie

:05:22. > :05:25.Armitstead cross the line. There was a real sense of relief for her. When

:05:26. > :05:29.you are the favoured and you know you will be marked, Sony things can

:05:30. > :05:33.go wrong. She did exactly what she had to do, waited and waited and

:05:34. > :05:42.made one attack in whole race to get away. It must be relief -- so many

:05:43. > :05:45.things can go wrong. It is really nice to see somebody come down the

:05:46. > :05:46.finishing straight and really enjoying what they have just

:05:47. > :05:54.achieved. As you said, through the race, she

:05:55. > :05:57.always looked comfortable, she looked like the form rider. She was

:05:58. > :06:01.always looked comfortable, she in control the whole race, watching

:06:02. > :06:04.the other riders, watching what was going to happen, speaking to her

:06:05. > :06:06.team, dictating the moves and she looked like a proper team leader.

:06:07. > :06:17.That is Emma Pooley, it was silver for

:06:18. > :06:20.but she has a big part of that gold around her neck. If there was a

:06:21. > :06:28.woman of the match, she would get it, no doubt. She totally gave it up

:06:29. > :06:32.in service of Lizzie. She has really got someone to thank there, Lizzie.

:06:33. > :06:35.First and second very clear for a loan but there was a sprint finish

:06:36. > :06:44.for third. Simon Brotherton can clear that up.

:06:45. > :06:52.In the sprint for bronze, Ashleigh Moolman Pasio from South Africa just

:06:53. > :06:56.edging out Tiffany Cromwell on the line, by no more than a few

:06:57. > :07:04.millimetres. Linda Villumsen from New Zealand in fifth place. Katie

:07:05. > :07:09.Archibald seventh for Scotland. Dani King 12 for England. Hannah Barnes

:07:10. > :07:14.in 13th place. Then Lucy Garner 20th and Laura Trott 21st, and Lydia

:07:15. > :07:19.Boylan for Northern Ireland finishing in 20 Second Place. --

:07:20. > :07:27.22nd place. That clears up the result but it has

:07:28. > :07:31.all been about Lizzie Armitstead today, it was set up for her to win

:07:32. > :07:34.a gold medal. When you have that pressure on your shoulders, the

:07:35. > :07:38.expectation that was probably is great from ISAF is from anyone else,

:07:39. > :07:42.it makes that victory all the more sweet. And she got the full team

:07:43. > :07:45.support to do it, which is nice to see, they all got behind one

:07:46. > :07:52.individual. It is a courageous thing to do, to put all your eggs in one

:07:53. > :07:55.basket. There is that pressure as well, that she knows everyone has

:07:56. > :08:02.back to her and she needs to deliver. -- backed her. Emma Pooley,

:08:03. > :08:07.her last road race, she goes off to do triathlon. She can been credibly

:08:08. > :08:11.proud. In some ways, we wanted her to win as well, for that very

:08:12. > :08:14.reason. She is a very lovable person to watch because she gives it

:08:15. > :08:17.absolutely everything, and it was quite emotional watching her coming

:08:18. > :08:21.down the finishing straight to know that is it, it is over, we are not

:08:22. > :08:24.going to see this marvellous athlete doing this again. That was the

:08:25. > :08:29.women's race, the men's race off at midday. What did we learn for the

:08:30. > :08:33.men's race coming up? Clearly it won't be such a select group of 20

:08:34. > :08:37.or so riders, which will make the course a lot trickier. I think it

:08:38. > :08:41.will take a lot longer than that to happen but it will happen. We have

:08:42. > :08:45.used the word a lot today, it is an attritional course. So many bends.

:08:46. > :08:49.We have seen the riders breaking into the corners and is printing out

:08:50. > :08:52.to catch back up whereas the first riders are flowing around. It is a

:08:53. > :08:58.course to spend energy to save near the front. -- to stay in the firm.

:08:59. > :09:02.We will see a similar pattern but it will be punchy riders that went out

:09:03. > :09:08.on a course like this. Home nation hopes, none more so, locally, van

:09:09. > :09:12.with David Millar in his final season as a professional. David is a

:09:13. > :09:15.very tactical ride and this is a very tactical course. We might not

:09:16. > :09:20.necessarily see him attack on the climb but in between them. We saw a

:09:21. > :09:25.move by Emma Pooley over the top of the climbs, and we might see David

:09:26. > :09:29.do that. Perhaps it is an Isle of Man rider, and a Welsh rider, during

:09:30. > :09:33.Thomas and Peter Kenyon, nationalities and the other order,

:09:34. > :09:40.who may be favourites? Durant Thomas, he seems to be in a similar

:09:41. > :09:46.mould to Emma Pooley. -- Gerrans Thomas. I think he has it in him.

:09:47. > :09:52.Peter Kenyon is the favoured him. He will be the one to beat. The women's

:09:53. > :09:55.race was brilliant, the men's will be equilibrium. We will be back with

:09:56. > :10:01.coverage from just before 12pm. For the moment, back to you.

:10:02. > :10:06.What a great result it was to see the women go out, and a great result

:10:07. > :10:13.for England, Lizzie Armitstead taking gold and Emma Pooley taking

:10:14. > :10:16.silver. It was nearly 100 kph the course. Let's show you what else is

:10:17. > :10:20.going on in the final hours of these Commonwealth Games. On BBC Three at

:10:21. > :10:24.the moment, you can see live coverage, England's netball team are

:10:25. > :10:28.playing Jamaica. This is the bronze medal match. It is a very close

:10:29. > :10:33.match indeed, the score at the moment as you can see in the third

:10:34. > :10:36.quarter, 30-30. England lost to New Zealand in the last couple of

:10:37. > :10:41.seconds of the semifinal yesterday. New Zealand will now be playing

:10:42. > :10:48.Australia, after this at 12:30pm, for the gold medal match, and that

:10:49. > :10:51.will also be live on BBC Three. And there is hockey underway at the

:10:52. > :10:56.moment, the bronze medal match taking place between England's men

:10:57. > :11:00.and New Zealand. That is live on the website, but at the moment the score

:11:01. > :11:01.is 2-2 between New Zealand and England. They are into the second

:11:02. > :11:11.half. Here on BBC One, though, let's head

:11:12. > :11:17.out to the Badminton, take you out from our studios on Pacific Quay add

:11:18. > :11:20.to the Emirates Arena in the East End of Glasgow. That is where the

:11:21. > :11:24.Badminton action has been happening throughout these games. And there

:11:25. > :11:28.has been a great reception this morning over at the Emirates Arena

:11:29. > :11:32.for husband and wife pairing, Chris and Gabby Adcock, and fourth seeds

:11:33. > :11:37.Chris language and Heather over in the final of the Badminton mixed

:11:38. > :11:42.doubles. The Adcocks are wearing red today, and they won the first game

:11:43. > :11:49.come to be. Remember it is the best of three games. -- first games

:11:50. > :12:11.comfortably. Your commentators are David Mercer and Jill Clark.

:12:12. > :12:25.JILL CLARK: I know it is only one rally, but look at the positioning.

:12:26. > :12:48.They have pushed the Adcocks into the defensive stance.

:12:49. > :13:05.Brilliant! And the fact there was constant verbal communication

:13:06. > :13:09.between Chris Langridge and Oliver in that rally. Maybe they are just

:13:10. > :13:29.not early morning people. I know a few who fall into that category.

:13:30. > :13:35.David, you were mentioning during the opening game about the fact that

:13:36. > :13:39.these two pairs train against each other on a regular basis, daily, at

:13:40. > :13:45.the National training Centre in Milton Keynes. You know, and I think

:13:46. > :13:50.there is a real importance of the psychological effect. If you

:13:51. > :13:54.training institute than you keep beating a player or pair in

:13:55. > :14:00.training, it does actually gives you confidence when you come into the

:14:01. > :14:04.match situation. And I know that sometimes in practice and training

:14:05. > :14:08.sessions, you maybe try something out in a sparring game, but I can

:14:09. > :14:13.remember our colleague, Morten Frost, I remember him at the

:14:14. > :14:19.training and practice sessions, and he always had a real intensity. If

:14:20. > :14:24.he was playing a practice game, and it was against a top in which

:14:25. > :14:29.player, Stephen Baddeley, or Nick Yates, Darren Hall, the players of

:14:30. > :14:35.that Iraq, he would take them on one after another and play, and play to

:14:36. > :14:38.win. And that psychological effect, whenever they met at a tournament,

:14:39. > :14:47.was huge. And I am just watching that -- just watching this now, and

:14:48. > :14:51.I'm just getting the idea that Langridge and Oliver, not only

:14:52. > :14:56.because they have lost to them in national championships, but maybe

:14:57. > :15:00.also in training in a daily basis, I am not sure they necessarily have

:15:01. > :15:03.that in a bully. Of course they will say to themselves this is a

:15:04. > :15:08.Commonwealth Games final, we can win, our opponents might get

:15:09. > :15:13.nervous, as indeed Chris Adcock and Andy Ellis did in the men's doubles

:15:14. > :15:29.yesterday, but I am just not seeing the overt belief at the moment.

:15:30. > :17:16.APPLAUSE That is nicely played from Heather

:17:17. > :17:24.Olver. That is what she has got to do more of, stand her ground at the

:17:25. > :17:28.net. Yes, there she is. That is good play. A good catch by the surface

:17:29. > :17:33.judge, too. net. Yes, there she is. That is good

:17:34. > :17:35.play. A good catch Well, he is Jamaican. I am sure he has got some

:17:36. > :17:48.cricketing skills. She is frustrated that she missed

:17:49. > :19:01.it. But I think she has got to stay at that net position.

:19:02. > :19:09.Not the interval, of course, but the mop is out there, as you can see,

:19:10. > :19:17.clearing up some perspiration on the court. I can tell you that the court

:19:18. > :19:22.gets very slippery, and any moisture on it, and Chris Langridge is

:19:23. > :19:27.pointing out a couple more spots. Yes, it will be where the players

:19:28. > :19:34.stand, either to serve all receive. Perspiration drops down. -- to

:19:35. > :19:39.serve, or receive. Especially off the face and onto the court surface.

:19:40. > :19:45.It gets very hot under the TV lights. And 6000 people in the

:19:46. > :19:58.arena, contributing quite a lot of heat themselves.

:19:59. > :20:10.Heather Olver, struggling on the defensive play.

:20:11. > :20:15.Not ideal, lifting crosscourt to invite the smash down onto his

:20:16. > :20:35.partner. Yes, Chris and Gabby Adcock,

:20:36. > :20:43.absolutely pressurising the Heather Olver defence, all of those

:20:44. > :20:46.attacking shots aimed at her. Well, the rallies are getting longer and

:20:47. > :20:52.more competitive. But the outcome is normally another point to Chris and

:20:53. > :20:54.Gabby Adcock. They led 11-4 at the interval in the first game and now

:20:55. > :21:09.they lead 11-5 in the second. Well, they went on from there to a

:21:10. > :21:13.convincing victory. These were the final moments of the All-England

:21:14. > :21:16.final. Chris and Gabby Adcock, living up to the billing as top

:21:17. > :21:24.seeds, winning the gold medal in the mixed doubles against their

:21:25. > :21:28.opponents, Chris Langridge and Heather Olver. A short while ago,

:21:29. > :21:31.they had the medal ceremony and the bronze medal went to Imogen Bankier

:21:32. > :21:34.and Robert Blair, the ScottishPower, Chris Langridge and Heather Olver

:21:35. > :21:40.with these silver, and a well-deserved gold medal, there, to

:21:41. > :21:55.Chris and Gabby Adcock of England. Winners of the mixed doubles.

:21:56. > :22:46.Ladies and gentlemen, the national anthem of England.

:22:47. > :23:55.Glasgow, let's celebrate. STUDIO: Great moment for Chris and Gabby

:23:56. > :23:58.Adcock. But we are staying with badminton and the women's singles

:23:59. > :24:03.final, where Kirsty Gilmour is taking on Canada's Michelle Li.

:24:04. > :24:04.Various Kirsty Gilmour, now, she is only 20 and she is taking on the

:24:05. > :24:12.third seed, Michelle Li. Lets join our commentators, Gill

:24:13. > :24:26.Clark and Morten Frost Hansen. COMMENTATOR: Only once has Scotland

:24:27. > :24:32.won a gold-medal in badminton. That was 28 years ago, before Kirsty

:24:33. > :24:38.Gilmour was even born, the men's doubles with Gilead and Travers.

:24:39. > :24:44.But one thing is certain, history will be made today. No player from

:24:45. > :24:52.either Canada or Scotland has ever won gold in the women's singles.

:24:53. > :24:56.Three seed, Michelle Li from Canada, against the number two seed, Kirsty

:24:57. > :25:04.Gilmour from Scotland. Well, for Kirsty Gilmour, what a

:25:05. > :25:19.tournament she has had, the 20-year-old from South Lanarkshire.

:25:20. > :25:27.She played quite brilliantly in her semifinal. Michelle Li, 22 years of

:25:28. > :25:35.age, born in Hong Kong but moved to Canada, aged six. Now she lives in

:25:36. > :25:42.Toronto. She has played big-game matches before, because looking at

:25:43. > :25:47.our results so far, like her opponent, she has not dropped a game

:25:48. > :25:51.so far. And that includes the number seven seed in the quarterfinals,

:25:52. > :25:56.Sarah Walker from England, and in the semifinal yesterday against the

:25:57. > :26:03.number one seed, PV Sindhu. 22-20, 22-20, she won that one. So to

:26:04. > :26:08.Kirsty Gilmour, who played in the last Commonwealth Games, and went to

:26:09. > :26:14.Delhi as a 16-year-old, for her Scottish debut. Prior to this

:26:15. > :26:19.Commonwealth Games, she said her most memorable moment was the youth

:26:20. > :26:24.Commonwealth Games in 2011 on the Isle of Man, where she won a bronze

:26:25. > :26:29.medal. I can tell you that this will be an outstanding memory, surpassing

:26:30. > :26:36.that. As you saw, all of her matches have been won in straight games.

:26:37. > :26:47.Ian Ross from England will be the service judge.

:26:48. > :26:54.Michelle Li is the fourth women's singles finalist from Canada. They

:26:55. > :27:05.have won three silver medals in the past. Michelle Li won gold at the

:27:06. > :27:07.Pan American games in 2011, and gold in the Pan-American Championships in

:27:08. > :27:15.2013. This is the biggest match of

:27:16. > :27:38.Gilmour's life so far. Final preparations. This is where

:27:39. > :27:46.the nerves and the anticipation must be settled. She played so well in

:27:47. > :27:52.her semifinal, Kirsty Gilmour, against the number four seed from

:27:53. > :27:57.Malaysia, coming from 11-19 down in the second game, winning ten

:27:58. > :28:00.straight points to close it out into games. CHEERING

:28:01. > :28:18.-- in two games. And on my left, Kirsty Gilmour from

:28:19. > :28:22.Scotland. CHEERING Her team-mates, coaches and

:28:23. > :28:45.managers, all on their feet, to welcome Kirsty Gilmour.

:28:46. > :28:55.That has gone long. Morton, I suppose the fact that history will

:28:56. > :29:00.be made, regardless of which player wins today, it will be a first gold

:29:01. > :29:04.medal in the women's singles for either nation, I suppose that adds

:29:05. > :29:13.to the drama and the tension? Absolutely it does. You have

:29:14. > :29:17.introduced the players so well, but we saw at the toss of the coin,

:29:18. > :29:22.Kirsty Gilmour won it and chose a side and she is playing on her

:29:23. > :29:24.favourite side. She is obviously hoping that whatever happens, she

:29:25. > :29:31.will be able to clinch the first game, as she has done in her

:29:32. > :29:34.previous matches. She is choosing this site because she is playing

:29:35. > :29:41.against the drift. When you do that, it is easier to keep the shuttle in

:29:42. > :29:42.on the baseline. But it looks like a rather nervous start by Kirsty

:29:43. > :30:22.Gilmour. This will do Gilmour good. The first

:30:23. > :30:27.really good rally from her and she has settled in really nicely in this

:30:28. > :30:32.one, that will do her good. I suppose the fact that Michelle Li

:30:33. > :30:35.has played in Pan-American games in a gold medal match and one those

:30:36. > :30:43.sort of matches, her experience in this sort of atmosphere and the big

:30:44. > :30:47.stage works in her advantage. Yes, she is a little bit more used to it

:30:48. > :30:55.than Gilmour is, but still, just personality wise, I think Michelle

:30:56. > :31:02.Li is a more cool person than Gilmour is.

:31:03. > :31:04.Li is a more cool person than to be nervous, Gilmour, and she has

:31:05. > :31:09.really shown that on occasions. Here she has got to rise to this very,

:31:10. > :31:14.very big occasion here. Yes, and there is no doubt the fans here at

:31:15. > :31:23.the Emirates Arena will help in that.

:31:24. > :31:29.I suppose looking at the qualities of both these players, they are both

:31:30. > :31:33.fine athletes, beautiful movers around the court. They are, and they

:31:34. > :31:41.are very fit as well. Fitness will not come into the picture here.

:31:42. > :31:44.Yesterday, we saw that fitness was a major issue, but today we have two

:31:45. > :32:04.excellent fit players in this final. I think one of the trademarks for

:32:05. > :32:06.Michelle Li is that she is prepared and very good at playing good shots

:32:07. > :32:21.under pressure. Yes, she is very creative, as we saw

:32:22. > :32:26.in that rally. The slice straight down the line, the overhead shot

:32:27. > :32:31.lead with slice, which gives it the skies. But that one is even better.

:32:32. > :32:37.If you are nervous, you don't play a shot like that. Just a good sign

:32:38. > :32:44.of, she is as cool as a cucumber, there is no doubt about it.

:32:45. > :32:55.A brilliant smash. We were talking earlier throughout the badminton

:32:56. > :33:00.competition about Kirsty Gilmour sometimes being a little too

:33:01. > :33:03.reactive, instead of proactive. You especially said you wanted to see

:33:04. > :33:08.her be more aggressive in her style of play. And that is what she needs

:33:09. > :33:11.today, because if she is not doing it, Michelle Li will take the lead

:33:12. > :33:15.that is what we are seeing the opening rallies. She is playing some

:33:16. > :33:19.devastating smashes and really good attacking shots. Gilmour will have

:33:20. > :33:26.to get in there first and really have to start attacking to avoid

:33:27. > :33:30.Michelle Li's attacking. Well, I could just see Yvette Law in the

:33:31. > :33:34.distance, one of the Scottish coaches, she was advising Gilmour,

:33:35. > :33:39.or seem to be, with her hand signals, about hitting down. So

:33:40. > :33:55.exactly what you have just said, Morten.

:33:56. > :34:01.It has gone way long on the back line and once again every rally won

:34:02. > :34:13.by Gilmour greeted by rapturous pools. -- rapturous applause. Crisp

:34:14. > :34:28.rule, the other Scottish coach, he is the one nearest to us -- Chris

:34:29. > :34:40.Brule. A very international bench Scottish are having, one from China

:34:41. > :34:47.and one from Holland. We saw yesterday Gilmour in her semifinal

:34:48. > :34:51.using the low backhand serve. Serving high so far, and that

:34:52. > :34:57.originally gives Michelle Li the opportunity to play and use some of

:34:58. > :35:03.her skills on the attack. Hopefully we will see very soon a variation.

:35:04. > :35:09.As you say, a short serve, a lower serve or even a flick serve. She

:35:10. > :35:15.will definitely have to start to vary her play and tried to unsettle

:35:16. > :35:40.Michelle Li as much as possible. -- try to.

:35:41. > :35:49.And that is nerves, that error. I can't help thinking that Kirsty

:35:50. > :35:55.Gilmour might have made the wrong choice, when she chose the good end

:35:56. > :35:58.to start off with, because I think that the nerves are really

:35:59. > :36:07.overcoming her and she cannot make good advantage of having the best

:36:08. > :36:29.side to play. Let's see, it is still early days.

:36:30. > :36:36.She may have missed, but that is lovely skill, looking at the way she

:36:37. > :36:43.comes forward to the net, racket arm outstretched. Holding the shot. She

:36:44. > :36:50.has all the options in the world. The backhand Kayal at the net, very

:36:51. > :36:51.fast forward, very little backswing. She has a 7-point advantage at the

:36:52. > :37:08.mid-game in the ball. -- in the interval. Look at this

:37:09. > :37:32.movement. So fast to see the opportunity.

:37:33. > :37:39.With the crowd, it is virtually impossible to hear what the coaches

:37:40. > :37:53.were saying about Gilmour. I think Chris was saying try to find

:37:54. > :37:58.your comfort zone, and I so agree with him. It is now time to settle

:37:59. > :38:05.the nerves, and just go all out, just full blast, and see if you can

:38:06. > :38:08.win it. The first five, six, seven, eight minutes is over. It is time to

:38:09. > :38:29.really make a move here. That is much better. Do know why I

:38:30. > :38:35.think it was good as well? She started off with a jump on that

:38:36. > :38:38.attacking clear on that serve and it showed a totally different Kirsty

:38:39. > :38:50.Gilmour here. A good shot down the line here.

:38:51. > :39:01.You see here, we have the lowest serve. The low backhand serve means

:39:02. > :39:09.that Gilmour could get on the attack first. Playing her favourite smash

:39:10. > :39:20.crosscourt theft, and what a good shot it was. It is always the little

:39:21. > :39:32.touch shops that go when you are nervous, like the net play.

:39:33. > :40:24.Unbelievable. All four quarters of the court explored in that rally and

:40:25. > :40:28.it was played to perfection. I think Gilmour was sucking up the pressure

:40:29. > :40:30.very well. The shell had to give away the initiative on that lift and

:40:31. > :40:47.then what a beautiful shot it was. Very Pressurising that deep forehand

:40:48. > :40:56.corner, and she did it with a lovely surprise. Despite the fact that

:40:57. > :41:00.Gilmour is edging back into this match, I think Michelle Li is doing

:41:01. > :41:09.really well, holding her game very well together.

:41:10. > :41:31.Yes, she has found that deep forehand again.

:41:32. > :41:36.From a tactical point of view, I think it is clever for the

:41:37. > :41:38.Australian to pressurise that forehand corner because Gilmour is

:41:39. > :41:44.so strong when it comes to the overhead action on the backhand

:41:45. > :41:55.side. We have seen that already on a few occasions. Beautiful movement

:41:56. > :42:03.back there. By the time she has landed, her body weight is coming

:42:04. > :42:14.forward. Such a good smash. She knew that the only possible reply was

:42:15. > :42:16.straight and back to the net. That is the first body smash we have seen

:42:17. > :42:48.so far in this final. Something different today from

:42:49. > :42:52.yesterday with Gilmour, I thought Gilmour had the courage to play a

:42:53. > :42:58.net shot off her opponent's net short, and so far today we have seen

:42:59. > :43:01.nothing but the lifts. Yes, but I think it comes from the fact that

:43:02. > :43:06.Michelle Li is standing much far forward. She is ready to cover that

:43:07. > :43:13.one. I think Gilmour is very much aware of that. Nice click again from

:43:14. > :43:17.Michelle Li. Here it comes, yes, that is good play, excellent play.

:43:18. > :43:23.Once again you see that pressure down the forehand side of Gilmour.

:43:24. > :43:26.She has two step a small step to the right and ordered to cover that and

:43:27. > :43:29.then obviously have to watch out for the reverse one as well. So not an

:43:30. > :43:55.easy task. Now that is the one I was talking

:43:56. > :44:01.about. Yes, it was. That set it up nicely. Exactly, that was good play.

:44:02. > :44:03.But the reason why it worked was because it was played with

:44:04. > :44:05.But the reason why it worked was delayed, with a disguise.

:44:06. > :44:32.But the reason why it worked was very, very difficult shot to play.

:44:33. > :44:55.To dwell on the backhand offence, didn't she? Yes, Michelle is

:44:56. > :45:00.questioning that call but there is no way she would get an overruling

:45:01. > :45:20.on that one by the umpire. Sitting too far away from it.

:45:21. > :45:25.backhand smash, right down the line. I have never seen that before.

:45:26. > :45:26.Technically, it is one of the most difficult shots. I have never seen

:45:27. > :46:08.her do that. Brilliant. Oh, dear. The service has gone long.

:46:09. > :46:34.That is a gifted point, to Michelle Li.

:46:35. > :46:53.After just 18 minutes, Michelle Li has seven game point opportunities.

:46:54. > :47:26.Down the back line. -- it found the backline.

:47:27. > :47:38.out the opening game for Michelle Li. 21-14, confirms the umpire. It

:47:39. > :47:41.is going to be an uphill battle from here the Kirsty Gilmour. -- for

:47:42. > :47:56.Kirsty Gilmour. She talked about -- we talked about

:47:57. > :48:09.this. Attack beforehand, low down the line. -- attack the forehand.

:48:10. > :48:29.I am attacking her. Pay more attention to the shots down. She is

:48:30. > :48:36.controlling that. She gets more chances. If you close that, and the

:48:37. > :48:41.lift from the net, not the high one, you get that, but the quicker one,

:48:42. > :48:52.you should intercept. Play it high, give yourself some time.

:48:53. > :49:05.So, the advice from the Scottish coach is to get low. He wants her to

:49:06. > :49:09.try to leap up and intercept the pushes from Michelle Li, pushes from

:49:10. > :49:21.the net. So, not the scoreline the home fans

:49:22. > :49:46.would have wanted in the opening game, Michelle Li winning it 21-14.

:49:47. > :50:08.The entire Scottish badminton team are down here in support.

:50:09. > :50:15.More attacking play for Michelle Li. Did you get what the Canadian

:50:16. > :50:19.coaches were saying? I think it was a good advice, saying the same as

:50:20. > :50:27.me, which is why I think it is good. He was saying, attack the forehand,

:50:28. > :50:36.down the line. Very good options are arising from that.

:50:37. > :50:47.That is a perfect clear. Not that Gilmour agrees. There is no

:50:48. > :50:50.challenge system in badminton. The umpire can only overrule, if they

:50:51. > :51:03.see that a clear error has been made. Well, that looks in, to me.

:51:04. > :51:12.Well, this is very, very concerning times for the home fans, at the

:51:13. > :51:16.start of this second game, absolutely crucial for Gilmour. The

:51:17. > :51:22.atmosphere is so tense, you could hear a pin drop. We have not had

:51:23. > :51:23.that before and we have been here for ten days. It is complete

:51:24. > :52:12.silence. so far. Oh, that is incredible.

:52:13. > :52:18.Well, Michelle Li's net play has been now I am perfect, so far.

:52:19. > :52:21.Well, Michelle Li's net play has been now I am perfect, so -- nigh on

:52:22. > :52:25.perfect. But look at the difference from where she is taking the

:52:26. > :52:30.shuttle, our pie, in comparison to wear Gilmour is taking it, download.

:52:31. > :52:34.It was the first drop shot that did it. This is the winner but it was

:52:35. > :52:37.the first one, the small disguise and the little delay, which really

:52:38. > :52:44.tricked Gilmour a little bit and she got into the nets late. -- into the

:52:45. > :53:05.net. She is quick coming forward, isn't

:53:06. > :53:11.she, the Canadian? She knows that is the only answer. Gilmour really has

:53:12. > :53:17.two step a foot or two to the right, to counterattack. She has got to go

:53:18. > :53:20.crosscourt on it. She can't just wait like she normally does and

:53:21. > :53:46.block it straight. She knows Michelle Li is coming in on it.

:53:47. > :54:12.Well, Gilmour has just simply got to break this run of points.

:54:13. > :54:19.That is wide. I think she was contemplating leaving the other one,

:54:20. > :54:25.to leave that shot but she chose to play it. But she played it too wide.

:54:26. > :54:28.I think she contemplated it. I think you are right. Normally, she reaches

:54:29. > :54:52.up and takes it early. Exactly. Well, yes, she raises her arm to

:54:53. > :54:57.celebrate the first point that she has one in the second game. -- the

:54:58. > :54:59.first point she has one. Della macro that is not a good sign. Reverting

:55:00. > :55:34.to the backhand serve. Vary it is a game, -- there it is

:55:35. > :55:40.again, a smashed down the Gilmour forehand side. Yes, she is playing

:55:41. > :55:45.that crosscourt clear with a backhand, one of her favourite

:55:46. > :55:50.shots, one of her basic shots. Again, she must try to avoid

:55:51. > :55:52.Michelle Li being able to attack the forehand side. She has got to go

:55:53. > :56:04.straight on it. CHEERING

:56:05. > :56:10.The attacking play that you suggested was her only answer.

:56:11. > :56:20.Look at that jump in the air. And the backhand kill, well, keeping it

:56:21. > :56:22.straight, which is good because the natural shot would have been to play

:56:23. > :57:13.on the backhand crosscourt. CHEERING

:57:14. > :57:21.Well, that is one of the few net exchanges that Gilmour has one. Yes,

:57:22. > :57:24.but look at the follow-up. She is adding on a little more pressure on

:57:25. > :57:29.Michelle Li, when she is playing that shot. She is ready, which means

:57:30. > :57:35.Michelle can see it and she wants to play desperately tight. Smash, down

:57:36. > :58:18.the forehand side, yet again. MISHAL HUSAIN: We are pausing live

:58:19. > :58:21.coverage of this match on BBC1, the final of the women's singles in the

:58:22. > :58:25.badminton because the news is coming up on BBC1 in a moment. You can

:58:26. > :58:29.switch to BBC Three to continue watching live coverage of Kirsty

:58:30. > :58:34.Gilmour of Scotland against Canada's Michelle Li at the Emirates

:58:35. > :58:39.Arena. There are still medals to be won in the very last hours of the

:58:40. > :58:45.glass games. From me, for the last time, goodbye. Jason will be here

:58:46. > :58:47.after the news with the men's red race. -- Road race.