It's the premier testing event in the CDiv2 calender and the one the chrono men have been waiting for.
Dyson could have probably fielded two very strong squads of three. It is hardly surprising that in our first set of three groups of riders they hold the early lead through Cyril Lemoine.
The Frenchman grabbing the lead off of Lithuanian early starter Algirdas Mockus
with Matic Strgar sitting in third place behind these two.
These are the top five after twenty riders have completed:
Team
Name
1st
2nd
Lemoine
13.24
28.09
Mockas
13.32
28.23
Srigar
13.36
28.29
Sobal
13.36
28.33
Serov
13.36
28.33
Here comes Dieter Cappelle who early on in the season led the individual rankings for some time. His first check time of 13.28 was second fastest at that stage.
Indeed the Belgian maintains this position at the finish splitting Lemoine and Mockas with a time of 28.17. Indeed in this second rung of riders teams are showing their chrono depth with second best riders going high on GC. Kasper Klostergaard produces a competetive first check of 13.32.
He comes home just outside the provesional podium with 28.24, one second behind Mockas.
Team
Name
1st
2nd
Lemoine
13.24
28.09
Capelle
13.28
28.17
Mockas
13.32
28.23
Klostergaard
13.32
28.24
Srigar
13.36
28.29
Dyson are clearly the dominent time trialling team of the division and look very dominating when their second rider Ed Clancy clocks the third fastest time at the first check of 13.29.
The Brit though is not just satisfied with this and works hard to cause a five second swing on Cappelle to get Dyson into a 1-2 position before each teams best TTer comes out. He sets a time of 28.17, perhaps a Dyson 1-2-3 today?
Three riders set first checks within two seconds of Clancy but a good five seconds back from Lemoine.
Paul Healion sets 13.31.
Tamás Lengyel sets 13.29
and Lukasz Bodnar (not pictured) sets 13.30
Healion fades to 28.20 outside the provisional podium, Lengyel holds his form but just nudges past Clancy's time into 28.14. Bodnar arrives with the same time and is awarded a place ahead of Clancy ruining the 1-2-3 attempt!
Team
Name
1st
2nd
Lemoine
13.24
28.09
Bodnar
13.30
28.13
Clancy
13.29
28.13
Lengyel
13.29
28.14
Capelle
13.28
28.17
We are getting to our elite Time Trial riders in the 2nd division now and Juri Krivtsov looks lively and hardly surprising as he is in touch with the previously untouchable Lemoine with a first check of 13.26.
These elite riders are getting some advantage in the last half of this test and a seven second swing by Kvistov to take the new provisional lead!
Still five very useful TTers left and Aleksandr Arekejev looked in good form in Utah.
However the Russian's first check was just 13.31 outside the top five at that stage. He can come home reasonably well to set 28.15 but that still is only good enough provisional sixth.
Logan Hutchings has enjoyed his year in the division two circuit placing well in time trials. The Kiwi looks to have timed his form bang on with a new best at the first check with 13.21.
Krivstov looks on in astonishment as Hutchings maintains his superspeed with a new best underneath 28 minutes. Comfortably so as well with 27.55.
Team
Name
1st
2nd
Hutchings
13.21
27.55
Krivstov
13.26
28.04
Lemoine
13.24
28.09
Bodnar
13.30
28.13
Clancy
13.29
28.13
Lengyel
13.29
28.14
Arekejev
13.31
28.15
Capelle
13.28
28.17
Healion
13.31
28.20
Mockas
13.32
28.23
It really will take something quite special to beat Hutchings, we know of course that Shaun Higgerson is in great form. But we have two other riders in Aleksandr Bespalov.
and Thom Van Dulmen
But it is disappointment for the two riders at the first check comparitevely sluggish with times of 13.29 and 13.33. Here comes Higgerson at the first check.
But Higgerson cannot get ahead of Hutchings with 13.24, slightly slower than his teammate Lemoine.
As we have seen things can be retrieved in the second half of the course. Higgerson certainly is in the right ball park as he comes towards the finish.
The clock here is at 28 minutes already, Hutchings can celebrate at the finish. Higgerson see's the clock turn to 28.05, he can only manage a third place. He may look back later at a strong team performance by Dyson, but the win was probably the aim.
