Double defending champion Dave Zabriskie starts as favourite, but his fellow American and recently crowned U23 TT Champion Taylor Phinney could be a threat - the latter being a stronger climber than Zabriskie. If climbs do come into the play, then the likes of Gesink, Uran, Fothen, and Pluchkin cannot be ruled out - while Cancellara looked strong in the TTT, and there is Jerome Coppel aswell.
First off, as is so often the case, is Michael Ford
Other early starters of note are Cornu, Rolland, Kittel and Keizer
The latter two were the top U23 riders last year, Kittel edging Keizer - Keizer will have the advantage over the German here given the route. But it is Dominique Cornu the quickest initially of these 5.
Cornu
Keizer +14
Kittel +16
Ford +20
Rolland +21
These 5 are some of the strongest to initially pass through the first check, as many others go slower. Pluchkin is at 22 seconds, Pozzovivvo and Kashechkin at 35. The Swede Johansson is doing well at 39, just ahead of teammate Danacik, and fellow Scandinavian at 41 seconds.
Local rider Kvasina is at 43 seconds, and looking to limit his losses before the climb where he might gain some back, Kirchen is at 45 seconds. He is not the quickest continental rider so far - Stannard has gone through at 42 seconds - but he is ahead of a dissapointing Ignatiev. Well down at 46 seconds, alongside Konovalovas. Intxausti is also on a bad day, the Spaniard 45 seconds behind Cornu at this point.
Lets have another quicker time then - Fabian Cancellara. But he cant beat Cornu! Going second, 9 seconds down
Dave Zabriskie is the first American to ride, and into the lead at Check 1 he goes - 9 seconds ahead of Cornu
Riders have also now been making it up the climb though, and Pozzovivvo and Kashechkin have climbed the strongest so far, Pozzovivvo becoming the surprise leader - ahead of Cornu at this stage
Pozzovivvo
Cornu +7
Kashechkin +11
Rolland +26
Kittel +37
Ford +50
Theyre all eclipsed by Pluchkin though! 23 seconds faster than Pozzovivvo, he leads. Keizer also comes through into 2nd, but 15 seconds down on the Moldovan.
Coppel has gone through the first split in 3rd, so the standings there now are:
Zabriskie
Cornu +9
Coppel +15
Cancellara +19
Keizer +24
Kittel +25
Ford +30
Rolland +30
Pluchkin +32
Uran +35
Fothen +40
Cornu at the finish now, beating Ford by 1'12
Cancellara is outside of the Top 5 at the 2nd split, but Zabriskie isnt. He has caught Stannard and takes the lead from Pluchkin
Zabriskie
Pluchkin +28
Keizer +44
Pozzovivvo +51
Cornu +59
Kashechkin +1'02
Cancellara +1'04
Kirchen +1'12
Rolland +1'18
Intxausti +1'28
Kittel +1'29
Ford +1'41
Back to the finish, and Pozzovivvo has faded. He only goes 2nd, 10 seconds behind Cornu. In the middle section, Uran, Fothen, Schleck, Gesink and Plaza are all climbing now.
This is how they stand compared to Zabriskie after the first check:
Zabriskie
Gesink +25
Plaza +33
Uran +35
Fothen +40
Schleck +53
Kashechkin and Kirchen go 3rd and 4th at the finish, but theyre soon down a further 1 as Pluchkin rides in to take the lead. 34 seconds faster than Pluchkin. Uran meanwhile, has beaten Pluchkin by 1 second at the second checkpoint.
Keizer goes 2nd at the finish, 15 seconds down
Phinney is on course, and through the first check! He has done the same time as Zabriskie!
Coppel is through the 2nd check in 8th, 2 seconds faster than Cancellara. If the Frenchman is dissapointed, thats nothing compared to Ignatiev. He is 2'14 behind Pluchkin - slower than the likes of Konovalovas, Serpa and Hagen. Intxausti meanwhile goes 9th at 1'30, 1 second behind Vesuvio teammate Kittel, but 16 seconds ahead of another teammate Ford.
Cancellara meanwhile goes 4th, a dissapointing 40 seconds behind Pluchkin.
Back to the 2nd check, Fothen goes 5th at 46 seconds to Zabriskie - and Frank Schleck goes 2nd!! He has put in a very strong climb to only go 22 seconds behind Zabriskie
Zabriskie meanwhile has finished, and its 1st - 56 seconds up on Pluchkin. Good riding by Gesink aswell, 2nd at the 2nd split, just 4 seconds down on the American.
Karpets is also through Check 2, 58 seconds down - while Plaza is 51 seconds down. Rigoberto Uran is at the finish, and he goes 2nd. 54 seconds down on Zabriskie, 2 seconds ahead of Pluchkin.
And the Colombian will be the best rider from his team, with the final section being a little flatter, Frank Schleck does lose some ground - but finishing in a provisional 4th is a very impressive showing by him - ominous for some for the road race maybe - he 's 1'02 behind Zabriskie. Thats 22 seconds faster than Fothen went in 6th while Coppel is 8th at 1'32 - maintaining his place ahead of Cancellara.
Gesink then goes 2nd at the finish, 22 seconds down - which might be enough for a medal now
Plaza goes 9th at 1'32 - marginally faster than Coppel, Karpets 13th at 1'44 but all eyes now are on Taylor Phinney, who is closing in on the finish
He was a huge 24 seconds faster than Zabriskie at the 2nd check, but is fading now as the finish comes near. Over the line he goes..
And its first! Taylor Phinney has done the time trial double, 16 seconds faster than his Wikipedia teammate and fellow American Dave Zabriskie. His time today is 1h28'31 - an impressive 77 seconds faster than he went in the U23 time trial.
