Only 18 rides in the Swedish NC. The home team Swedbank with the most riders at 11. Lövkvist is leading the stronger team while Dahlberg gets a shot at the reserve squad.
Risa (Olsson) and Carlsberg (Wengelin) with 2, while DeLaval (Dahlberg) has 3 riders.
On a hilly route Lövkvist normally should be favourite.
A break of 3 and this is bad for Swedbank. Only their always active Öste-Macdonald in there. Actually by the stronger Lövkvist squad. Dahlberg and Stevenson the other two.
And indeed the peloton gives up. No interest of the weaker Swedbank squad. Move missed by Risa. So those top 3 will decide the NC!
A lot of pressure on Öste-Macdonald now and while he prefers the longer climbs, he attacks on the flat part with 5,5km to go.
So Stevenson is closing the gap pulling Dahlberg with him. 2km left.
Öste-Macdonald attacking again just 500m later.
But again Stevenson is closing the gap. This time accelerating himself. Dahlberg a bit behind having a small gap.
No chance for Öste-Macdonald, who can`t follow. No RR NC for the home team then.
Also Dahlberg can`t follow while Stevenson rides towards the win.
And the veteran takes it. Big win for him and also an important one. With 33 years of age already, he will regress even further. So only the Swedish NC jersey could possibly deliver him a team for 2016. His home team not very likely to extend with him it seems.
Dahlberg beaten while Öste-Macdonald was the only hope for Swedbank in 3rd. Lövkvist apparently didn`t matter too much as he will wear the B-Worlds Champion jersey but not getting the home jersey is always a pity.
Open ITT field. Johansson the best time trialist for Swedbank. But DeLavals Renäng not far behind. Then Wetterhall (Swed) and Lindgren (Risa) also with good chances. The next (Lövkvist, Bjelkmark, Ludvigsson) all with a gap already.
All riders have passed the first mark and we see a huge surprise.
The wind was in favour to the early starters what means Bjelkmark is in the lead!
Olsson almost the bigger surprise at 3rd.
While Lövkvist is in 2nd. So where are the top favourites?
Reigning champ Wetterhall as 5th within range. 28s though.
Also Lindgren at 28s in 4th.
Renäng...well...8th and +52s!
And Johansson just a bit better at 7th and +49. Ludvigsson at 6th and +32s.
So the early starters might take this due to the windy first part, while the remaining course seems to be pretty equal for everyone.
Bjelkmark might have gone too fast early on as he is losing his lead at the 2nd split and still is behind at the 3rd.
New leader and now finishing is the Swedish star Lövkvist. Winning the ITT NC would just crown his great season, where he was really strong in America as also taking the B Worlds.
Wetterhall was fastest in the 2nd half but he was 1'03 behind at halftime. So no chance for him to attack the lead. 49s in the end and provisional 3rd.
Lindgren though takes this position seconds later. 31s behind Lövkvist.
Only Bjelkmark was closer. 12s in the end only as he had the faster final part. But Lövkivst was stronger and takes this weird ITT. Olsson in 5th says enough. Renäng 8th and Johansson 6th only. Both were faster than Lövkvist on the 2nd half but lost it on the windy first.
So congrats Swedbank for at least keeping the jersey at home.
Christopher Stevenson
