A great breeding ground for future TT and stage racing stars we have seem U23TT alumni such as Taylor Phinney, Justo Tenorio, Alexandr Pluichkin and Rigoberto Uran really establish themselves has some of the top stars in the sport.
It is a brilliant shop window for the upcoming transfer season. With managers always looking for good TTers particularly for Team Time Trial squads.
What a day it was yesterday when the Netherlands finally snatched that title off of Spain. But also a fine day for the host nation Belgium who got a fantastic collection of bronze medals for their eight man squad.
The UCI have been searching high and low for some good tester youngster and an early starter Reguigui (Rapha Condor - Qhubeka) has that confidence of already a season with a pro-contract behind him. He sets a time of 22.46 in the first 16km.
He is one of the better of the early starters, the most recognizable name amongst these riders being Scarponi (Wiggle - San Pellegrino) certainly one of the tiny countries top sports personalities. He is five second short of Reguigui at 16km.
He continues to develop as one of Wiggle's Italian speaking domestiques, a team who have secured a solid Protour presence and a great reputation of developing young talent.
Scouting oppurtunity time here as Mazuki (Free Agent) also shows good form through the opening section - matching that time of Scarponi's.
The home nation have two outside medal shouts in this race and the first of those Paquet (Team Bpost) really gets the crowd going setting the new best time at 16km 22.45 just one second quicker than Reguigui.
Rinner (Free Agent) has been riding at a lower level after being one of the casualties of 100% Me metamorphasis into Rapha Condor-Qhubeka last year. The 22 year old could do with a decent ride here and does his chances of securing a professional contract no harm at all matching Reguigui's time could there be a slight rivalry there?
Satisfying for those supporters of young Rinner that he has the scalp of Reguigui at the first check
With 16 riders through the first check, Belgium TV commentators (proudly televising the race) are enthusiastic about their chances with the top five at this time point revealed as:
Rider
Time
Pacquet
22.45
Rinner
22.46
Reguigui
22.46
Mazuki
22.51
Scarponi
22.51
Of course the reality of time trials is that the better riders are seeded to come last but still the thrill of leading early on has bought a reasonable amount of the Belgian public to the streets. Interestingly riders are beginning to struggle to threaten the top three.
Quaade (Team B&O) is one of those well publicised young hopes with a Protour team. Is the young Dane overrated? A time of 22.47 at the first check keeps him in touch with the early starters.
These early starters are starting to funnel through the check at the top of the Muur.
Interestingly Zmorka (Team Metinvest - Slovnaft) has managed to crack into the top five shunting Scarponi, more of a climber by trade out of the top five.
Rider
First check
2nd check
Reguigui
22.46
39.22
Pacquet
22.45
39.25
Rinner
22.46
39.31
Zmorka
22.53
39.33
Mazuki
22.51
39.34
Reguigui has clearly kept a nice even pace throughout the race with Rinner perhaps now revealing his true abilities.
Meanwhile the real big guns are beginning to filter through. Moser (Wiggle - San Pellegrino) is as you would expect for a Wiggle recruit very capable on short climbs. He also can time trial pretty well and is up there with the 16km times with 22.48.
Another outstanding young rider is Blythe (Rapha Condor - Qhubeka), the very name sparks all sorts of discussions amongst pundits about where the Brit will end up next year. One of the very top cobbled classic prospects is rumoured to be leaving the African based Qhubeka squad this year. But it is a bit of a stretch to expect him to fire on a time test even if it does contain the feared cobbled climb of the Muur. He sets 22.52 at the first check seven seconds slower than Pacquet's challanging looking climb.
No such problems for Brandt (California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized) the first of two big American favourites here. It it is an awesome climb from the 22 year old all rounder who smashes the best time at 16km by nine seconds. He climbs the Muur with some enthuisiasm not really known for his cobbled abilities.
At the second check it is revealed that this really is a different class of rider as Brandt sets 39.11 a new best by ELEVEN seconds at this point with 34 riders through. The top ten at the second check..
Rider
First check
2nd check
Brandt
22.34
39.11
Reguigui
22.46
39.22
Pacquet
22.45
39.25
Quaade
22.47
39.26
Blythe
22.52
39.27
Rinner
22.46
39.31
Zmorka
22.53
39.33
Moser
22.48
39.33
Mazuki
22.51
39.34
Scarponi
22.51
39.37
Reguigui was just the second rider off this morning and he looks like he could be in store for a reasonably high finish so his finish time of 59.33 looks like a solid benchmark. Provisionally breaking the hour can be seen as a good effort by the looks. Belgian Pacquet is certainly giving the home fans something to cheer as he goes down the final funnel to the finish.
It's not quite enough to dislodge Reguigui setting a time of 59.36, just three seconds slower. Agony for the young Bpost rider, perhaps his manager can reward him with a second year contract? Contract hunters Mazuki annd Rinner make up a decent looking provisional top five of the first 18 finishers.
Reguigui
22.46
39.22
59.33
Pacquet
22.45
39.25
59.36
Rinner
22.46
39.31
59.44
Mazuki
22.51
39.34
59.50
Zmorka
22.53
39.33
59.52
We still have the riders that are believed to be the top ten shots of the best time today. Having seen teammate Quaade produce competative times so far Sørensen (Saab-Scania) will be disappointed to be stuck at 22.49 at the first check fifteen seconds off of Brandts first check time and two seconds behind his teammate.
But things are moving on at a rapid pace and finally a someone to dent American confidence and perhaps predictable it is a Chinese in Shikai (Meiji - Fuji) who sets a new second best of 22.44 at the first check.
But it is that old Russian bear that really can give the Yanks a bloody nose as Yatsevich (T.CS Bank - OJSC Rosneft) sets a time within six seconds of Brandt.
With seven riders left to count at the first check these are the leading times there:
Rider
First check
Brandt
22.34
Yatsevich
22.40
Shikai
22.44
Pacquet
22.45
Reguigui
22.46
Rinner
22.46
Quaade
22.47
Moser
22.48
Of course more riders have now finished including Brandt who has absolutely demolished Reguigui's time setting a formidable 59.08, which probably has his own teammate Eastman thinking.
Back to the first check and we saw Spain lose their Team time trial crown and national selectors will no doubt be looking to their youngsters here. The best of the crop is Gonzalez Salas (Team Venchi ProCycling) but his first check time of 22.48 is underwhelming to say the least.
At least the Spanish got a medal, the German's missed the bronze but a couple of seconds. The treadmill of strong time triallers looks healthy though with Sütterlin (Team Puma - SAP) just 20 years old producing a sparkling new best time of 22.32 beating even Brandt's unbeatable looking time!
There are still five riders to register however before the Germans can get themselves punchdrunk with too much beery excitement. French hope Viennet (Aker Solutions - Bergans) is 13 seconds back with 22.45.
A quick look at the check on top of the Muur and Brandt currently sitting in the provisional gold medal spot is looking more and more like his times will not be good enough as Yatsevich manages to overturn a six second deficit to a two second gain.
At the second check:
Rider
First check
2nd check
Yatsevich
22.40
39.09
Brandt
22.34
39.11
Shikai
22.44
39.15
Reguigui
22.46
39.22
Pacquet
22.45
39.25
Quaade
22.47
39.26
Sørensen
22.49
39.26
Blythe
22.52
39.27
Rinner
22.46
39.31
Moser
22.48
39.33
Back to the first check and Durbridge (Oz Cycling Project) is on course for a decent time as he sets a new third best of 22.35 just three seconds down on Sutterin.
Another medal contender and massive stage racing hope Cattaneo (Vespa - Aprilia - De Rosa) is bang in there with 22.36 just four seconds off of Sutterin.
The last two see's the best cross cobbled time triallist in Vlatos (Koppert Cycling Team) suffer a below par 22.41.
Whereas the in top shape Americans can wave their flags again as Eastman (California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized) does not let them down with a new best by NINE seconds of 22.23.
The stage racer has been in consistent form in the Ctour this season living with some very decent company with plenty of top tens in mountainous terrain. His team look very good for promotion and what a fillet it would be for the American developmental team to have a U23 world champion. The full first check standings:
US have a chance of taking two medals home - how many and of which colour is yet to be truly revealed. It is becoming clear that Brandt lost a bit of top end speed towards the end as whilst he crushed the early starters time, the late ones are making gains. Yatsevich has already surpassed Brandt's second check time, Sutterlin crushes it. With five riders left to register at the second check we have this:
Rider
First check
2nd check
Sütterlin
22.32
38.56
Yatsevich
22.40
39.09
Brandt
22.34
39.11
Shikai
22.44
39.15
Gonzalez Salas
22.48
39.19
Reguigui
22.46
39.22
Pacquet
22.45
39.25
Quaade
22.47
39.26
Sørensen
22.49
39.26
Blythe
22.52
39.27
Brandt still sits in the provisional gold at the finish but not for long as Chinese youngster Shikai just about takes the clubhouse lead with 59.08 by one second.
But... wait the Russian Bear Yatsevich roars in with 58.59 breaking that 59 minute barrier perhaps sealing a medal for Mother Russia!
Rider
First check
2nd check
Finish
Yatsevich
22.40
39.09
58.59
Shikai
22.44
39.15
59.07
Brandt
22.34
39.11
59.08
Sørensen
22.49
39.26
59.20
Reguigui
22.46
39.22
59.33
Back on the Muur we are seeing the real top contenders suffer up the climb Viennet and Vlatos are still off the pace with 39.15 and 39.13 repectively. Slower than Brandt at this point medal prospects for these two look remote.
Durbridge is trying manfully to maintain his prospects setting 39.01 just five seconds back from Sutterlin. Cattaneo is not out of it with 39.05, however Eastman drops jaws with an incredible 38.44 at the second check atop the Muur. His climbing legs have him 11 seconds in the lead.
Back to the finish area and some reserved celebrations for the German fans, realising that Eastman is tearing up the course behind Sutterlin comes home with a time of 58.41. No doubt the German has had a very good day here and surely has got a medal, tough to see Eastman collapsing to lose this though.
With four riders left to complete the top five:
Rider
First check
2nd check
Finish
Sütterlin
22.32
38.56
58.41
Yatsevich
22.40
39.09
58.59
Shikai
22.44
39.15
59.07
Brandt
22.34
39.11
59.08
Viennet
22.45
39.15
59.14
It is seen that a time under 59 minutes is needed for a medal and the question is, can any of the remaining four do it. Vlatos has struggled to post really top times, his time of 59.10 is respectable too much perhaps made of his cobbled advantage.
Cattaneo cannot quite dip inside of 59 minutes agonisingly clocking 59.02, meaning he has just missed out on a medal.
Durbridge has been posting competative times all day in could be marked as a future winner of this, his time of 59.55 displacing Yatsevich of a bronze medal. Desperately unlucky for the Russian.
But what about Eastman, the clock is ticking and he seems to have lost a bit of his 12 second advantage he had over Sutterlin over the Muur.
58.29
58.30 remember 58.41 to beat.
58.31
58.32 this is tighter than we thought
58.33
and Ryan Eastman takes the U23 ITT World title. What a prospect.
Taylor Phinney, 
Justo Tenorio, 
Alexandr Pluichkin and 
Rigoberto Uran really establish themselves has some of the top stars in the sport.
Netherlands finally snatched that title off of 
Belgium who got a fantastic collection of bronze medals for their eight man squad. 
Reguigui (Rapha Condor - Qhubeka) has that confidence of already a season with a pro-contract behind him. He sets a time of 22.46 in the first 16km.
Scarponi (Wiggle - San Pellegrino) certainly one of the tiny countries top sports personalities. He is five second short of Reguigui at 16km.
Mazuki (Free Agent) also shows good form through the opening section - matching that time of Scarponi's.
Rinner (Free Agent) has been riding at a lower level after being one of the casualties of 100% Me metamorphasis into Rapha Condor-Qhubeka last year. The 22 year old could do with a decent ride here and does his chances of securing a professional contract no harm at all matching Reguigui's time could there be a slight rivalry there?
Quaade (Team B&O) is one of those well publicised young hopes with a Protour team. Is the young Dane overrated? A time of 22.47 at the first check keeps him in touch with the early starters. 
Zmorka (Team Metinvest - Slovnaft) has managed to crack into the top five shunting Scarponi, more of a climber by trade out of the top five.
Moser (Wiggle - San Pellegrino) is as you would expect for a Wiggle recruit very capable on short climbs. He also can time trial pretty well and is up there with the 16km times with 22.48. 
Blythe (Rapha Condor - Qhubeka), the very name sparks all sorts of discussions amongst pundits about where the Brit will end up next year. One of the very top cobbled classic prospects is rumoured to be leaving the African based Qhubeka squad this year. But it is a bit of a stretch to expect him to fire on a time test even if it does contain the feared cobbled climb of the Muur. He sets 22.52 at the first check seven seconds slower than Pacquet's challanging looking climb.
Shikai (Meiji - Fuji) who sets a new second best of 22.44 at the first check. 
Yatsevich (T.CS Bank - OJSC Rosneft) sets a time within six seconds of Brandt. 
Sütterlin (Team Puma - SAP) just 20 years old producing a sparkling new best time of 22.32 beating even Brandt's unbeatable looking time!
Viennet (Aker Solutions - Bergans) is 13 seconds back with 22.45.
Durbridge (Oz Cycling Project) is on course for a decent time as he sets a new third best of 22.35 just three seconds down on Sutterin. 
Vlatos (Koppert Cycling Team) suffer a below par 22.41.
