Emma Pooley
Pooley competes in her final event, the women's road race, on Sunday.

England's Emma Pooley was forced to settle for silver on her penultimate competitive appearance in the women's time trial at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Pooley looked set for gold after crossing the line in first place and held an eight-second advantage over Linda Villumsen at the final split, but the New Zealander clawed back the advantage win by six seconds.

The world time trial world champion announced earlier this week her intension to retire from cycling after the Games and though she will compete for the final time in the women's road race on Sunday, the time trial represented the last opportunity to end her successful career on a winning note.

"I'm really grateful to have had the opportunity to compete for so long, and am grateful to those who have supported me over the past seven or eight years," Pooley said. "To get a medal tops everything.

"You can't be frustrated when you have done your best. Obviously, it was nice to cross the line with the quickest time but less nice when somebody goes quicker.

"Linda deserves the credit for a fantastic race. I'm not upset. She is an excellent time trialist and deserves the win.

"I don't really want to look back with regrets as you cannot re-race it. I'm thrilled to have a medal. especially with such fantastic support on the course."

Australia's Katrin Garfoot completed the podium while Joanna Rowsell, who won individual pursuit Commonwealth gold on the track last week, finished 10<sup>th.

"I gave it my best and I'm absolutely exhausted to be honest. I had a good pursuit on Friday and I'm pretty tired now because I've had four races – I'm glad it's done.

"I'm not doing the road race and I'm pretty shattered after the track but I wasn't targeting this race – I put all my eggs in the pursuit basket, which paid off.

"I said from the start that I would prefer to come away from these Games with one gold rather than two bronzes.

"I targeted the pursuit and I'm over the moon with that, so this was just about the experience of riding and international time trial for me."

The men's road race takes centre stage on Thursday afternoon, with England's Alex Dowsett and Steve Cummings both competing David Millar going for Scotland and Geraint Thomas, fresh from riding the Tour de France, racing for Wales.

New Zealand