Pre-Race
This day is what many riders have been waiting for in a long time. Valkenbourg is the basis of this 44,7 kms time trial, which will decide who is going to become the 2012 World ITT Champion.
The route is actually quite hilly, which could become trouble for some of the real time trialers who prefer the flat. Hereby riders like Phinney, Grabsch and Tuft seems to have the odds against themselves. The route therefore opens up chances for some of the climbers, who have a decend time trial. Especially recent crowned Vuelta winner, Contador, seems to have a great chance of breaking through, alongside riders like Kelderman, Sánchez and Kessiakoff.
Unfortunately, 2011 World ITT Champion, Tony Martin, is out with a smaller injury, keeping him away from participating today. Also riders like Boasson Hagen, Larsson, Rogers and Millar are absent today. Therefore Fabian Cancellara and Bradley Wiggins looks to be the main contenders for the win, alongside in-form Contador.
Favorites
F. Cancellara
A. Contador, B. Wiggins
C. Froome, T. Phinney, T. Van Garderen
Startlist:
Spoiler
The Race
The first real favorite on todays course, was the young American Tejay Van Garderen. Even though his shape seemed indefinable, this type of race is his speciality, and to underestimate him would be dangerous.
But the first man to cross the finishing line in a great time was Italy's Adriano Malori. With the time 1h05'44", nobody were able to compeed against his ride for quite some time.
On the starting-ramp, Britain's Chris Froome began to prepare himself for the time trial. After a rather disappointing Vuelta, his lack of results was probably caused by a loss of shape. Eventually he finished 14th.
As some of the better riders started to get out on today's course, the gaps between Malori's time and the followers, began to decrease. Wilco Kelderman rode into second, only 12 seconds away from Malori.
Also recent silver medalist in the Vuelta a España, Samuel Sánchez, showed his time trialing skills, by overtaking provisionally second from Kelderman, 11 seconds shy on Malori's time.
But after being on route for 1h05'32", Van Garderen came storming over the finish line, taking provisional first from Malori! He was 12 seconds better than Malori, who had kept his place a long time today.
But Van Garderen couldn't stay in the hot-seat for a long time, since one of today's biggest surprises overtook provisionally first, in the time 1h05'11", no more than 21 seconds better than Van Garderen. It was Netherlands young Tom Dumolin who had rode an amazing race!
It was now time for the biggest favorites to start the race! Taylor Phinney was the first major favorite of the final four. With some incredible time trialing results this year, only his shape seemed to be able standing in his way of taking a medal today.
Next on the course was Vuelta winner, Alberto Contador! With an amazing comeback, his shape has been on the very top. But whether a good shape would be enough against the greatest, was hard to judge.
4 time World Champion Fabian Cancellara was probably the greatest favorite of all today, especially in the absence of Tony Martin. For him, this race was either gold or nothing!
Bradley Wiggins was the last man on course today. With an incredible season so far, and 2 victories in the recent Vuelta, he seemed like a strong contender for the win today. After going through the 1st intermediate check, every rider had been through that very same check, resulting in the final intermediate rankings seen below.
1st Intermediate Check
1.
Alberto Contador
18'54
2.
Bradley Wiggins
+ 5
3.
Fabian Cancellara
+ 12
18.
Taylor Phinney
+ 38
Meanwhile, the young Luxembourger Bob Jungels, rode into an amazing provisional 2nd, only 12 second behind Dumolin. Probably the biggest surprise today, and what a future lying before this man!
But the big guns began to cross the finish line, and Dumolin began to fall down in the rankings. First Denmark's Jakob Fuglsang overtook provisional first in the time 1h05'03", an improvement of 8 seconds.
And later, Canada's Svein Tuft improved Fuglsang's time by nothing more than 13 seconds, with the time 1h04'50".
The four major favorites had become three, when nearing the 2nd intermediate checkpoint. Phinney simply couldn't follow through, and lost valurable seconds meter by meter. Contador still seemed to have a good flow in his pedal strokes, and had actually extended his lead by five seconds to Wiggins. But the race was still far from over!
2nd Intermediate Check
1.
Alberto Contador
41'12
2.
Bradley Wiggins
+ 10
3.
Fabian Cancellara
+ 23
24.
Taylor Phinney
+ 1'21
Another one of today's losers was German Bert Grabsch. The former World Champion seemed neither to like the route or having the energy to be among the best today. He ended eventually in 7th.
Contador began to near the 1 km banner. Had he been able to keep his pace high enough, or had Wiggins and Cancellara began to draw him slowly in on the last part? No one knew at this moment.
Crossing the line, Contador makes a massive improvement on Tuft's time! 43 seconds better, in the time 1h04'07"! But would it be enough?
Cancellara had been losing time over the last part of the course, and could only manage to finish second, 39 seconds behind Contador!
Wiggins came towards the finish with massive pressure! Would it be enough to beat Contador?... No! Wiggins crosses the line in 2nd, 20 seconds behind Contador! What an amazing ride by Alberto Contador who wins his first World Champion title ever!
Thanks guys It was an unexpected result for me as well, even though Contador seemed to be quite dominant in the Vuelta. Wiggins gets close, but not near enough at all. Like Froome, he also rode the Vuelta, and both riders seems to have a little lack of shape at the moment. So it's a fine result for Sky
No unfortunately not... Italy are competing with a very strong team, and Puccio doesn't have the level (yet!) to participate for such valueable spots. Maybe he'll be in the line for next year
@Ste: Without any specific leader, Italy's RR team looks extremly exciting. I'm looking forward to see what they are able of doing
@Ian: Let's hope so! He should be a really great addition to the team in 2013, and he has probably developed a lot at that time. Without knowing the route yet, he must be a sure card for the final selection
@Freitas: Thanks
@Schleck: Contador did a great and quite unexpected fast ride here, i agree! Looking at Wiggins' time trial results this year, it is a deeply shame that his form has dropped here for the World Championships
Pre-Race
The day has finally dawned. The day where the most important race of the whole season is going to be ridden. We're at Valkenburg today to crown the 2012 world champion in road cycling, and we're looking forward to a magnificent race in pouring rain.
The route suits the punchy riders who likes the hills. Ten is how many times the riders have to ascend the dreadful Cauberg climb which is known from the Amstel Gold Race. But even though the odds are supporting the puncheurs, some allround-sprinters will look to stay near the front in the final, since the last two kilometres are plain flat.
2011 world champion Cavendish is ready to defend his title this year. With an extremly great shape he could eventually follow through at the Cauberg climb, and surprise in the end. He hasn't come here for sightseeing, that's for sure! Also Slovak Peter Sagan seems to be ready for the race. If he hits the day, he'll be a seriously dangerous rider to look for.
Belgium seems to have brought the greatest team of all, and if they can form the race as they want, Gilbert and Boonen wouldn't be surprising winners at all. Other riders to be aware about is Cancellara, Gasparotto, Boasson, Rodriguez and Gerrans. In fact many riders seem to have the chance of winning today, so it is going to be an unpredictable race.
Favorites
P. Sagan
E. Boasson Hagen, T. Boonen
P. Gilbert, F. Cancellara, M. Cavendish
Startlist:
The Race
Four riders hit the breakaway today, and quickly built up a fine gap to the pack. The four brave riders were, G. Gazvoda (SLO), Á. Vicioso (SPA), F. Duarte (COL) and M. Moser (ITA).
The pack seemed to be fine about the little breakaway, and in a comfortable pace, Great Britain led out the pack.
With an eight-minute gap, the breakaway hit the Cauberg climb for the third time today, about halfway into the race.
But eight minutes seemed too much for Germany to handle. With 125 kms left, Germany and Great Britain decided to fasten the pace and slowly reel in the breakaway. The two teams apparently still believed in both André Greipel and Mark Cavendish in winning this race.
The fastened pace made the pack stretch out wide after the sixth ascend of the Cauberg climb. Only four laps were to go from now!
The breakaway fought bravely, even though there were only 3 minutes between them and the pack with 45 kms to go. Something incredible should happen if they were to win this race. They knew themselfs.
Luckily for the riders, the rain had stopped pouring down, just before the pack were to start their 7th ascend of the Cauberg climb.
On the third last lap, things began to rush up! At first Van Avermaet (BEL), Pozzato (ITA) and Traksel (NED) tried to slip away, but they weren't alone. Just seconds after, a trio of Belgian riders attacked!
And they weren't just anoyone. It was Meersman, Vanmarcke and Gilbert himself! What an unexpected attack at this point of the race. There was 40 kms to the line, and the belgian riders gave their all!
Even though Gilbert and company didn't wanted to give up on the breakaway, the pack had agreed to use all possible resources on bringing the dangerous breakaway back into the pack. After a long fight, the five-man gruop was caught again with 35 kms to go.
Meanwhile the fastened pace had caused the gap between the front-escapees and the pack to fall dramatically. Agitation started to feel up the escapess, which caused Vicioso to attack. But nothing came out of it, and the breakaway was united again.
With 25 kms to go, another really dangerous breakaway got away. An Italian duo with Nocentini and Gasparotto, plus Boasson Hagen (NOR) and Cancellara (SWI) were the escapees, which actually caught the exhausted morningbreak. But as the other breakaway, the pack found the riders too dangerous to let go, and with 12 kms to go, both breakaways were united in the pack.
No teams were able to take the front alone, and it was clear that the fast pace had exhausted a lot of riders. The battle of positioning the team leaders had begun!
10 kms to go! The pack was higly reduced with only about 50 riders being left. Several pre-favorites like Rodriguez (SPA), Iglinskiy (KAZ), Gerrans (AUS), Boom (NED) and Goss (AUS), were left behind.
But Cancellara (SWI) knew he couldn't win this race on the Cauberg climb, and made a powerful attack with only 8 kms to go. In his rear wheel followed Chavanel (FRA) and Ballan (ITA).
But Cancellara tricked both Chavanel and Ballan by counter attacking at once after they had reached him. The French and Italian weren't able at all to reel in the big Swiss powermotor at all!
Traksel (NED) and Boasson Hagen (NOR) both rode up middleways, but Cancellara had gone away too far out, and the four riders had to surrender to the pack. Now Cancellara was alone in the front!
At the final descend before the Cauberg climb, Cancellara held a little gap to the pack. If everything exploaded when they first came to the climb, he would be hanging in only a thin thread.
But nothing happened! No one wanted to attack at the Cauberg, and Cancellara was able to hold his lead. Where was Gilbert and Sagan! Didn't they have the power to do so?
Coming up at the flat section after the climb, Cancellara had almost extended his lead. Could he drop it this late?
The big Swiss was nearing the final kilometer banner. Should this be the day when he took his very first prosfession world road race title?
In the remainder of the pack, Gilbert and company had forgot that they had dragged Cavendish up along at the Cauberg climb. Now the little Manxman was shoot away like a cannonball, with Gasparotto desperately trying to hang on in his wheel.
But none came ever near Cancellara! In lonely majesty, the great Swiss was able to add another splendor result to his resumé. World Road Race Champion 2012: Fabian Cancellara!
Todays lesson: If you can't win the World Time Trial Championships for the fifth time in your career, then just focus on the road race instead!
But not all medals were awarded yet. With Daryl Impey fighting to clinch onto Gasparotto's wheel, it looked like silver and bronze was to be decided by last years winner Cavendish, and Gasparotto.
As Gasparotto began to ride away from the slipstream, the battle became very intense. Were Italy or Britain to win this?
The silver medal became British, as Cavendish only just managed to get over the line in front of Gasparotto! Hereby the podium was settled. Congratulations to the new Swiss World Champion!
