World TTT Championships
World Championships
After the World B Road Race and the U23 ITT, we have the second of the Time Trial Titles here in Poland. The Team Time Trial is up next, with a large mixture of abilities and levels within all the teams. Expect a surprise to be on the cards today!
Defending champions Italy come to the race with a much weakened squad and retaining the title looks a long shot indeed. The Netherlands, Spain and Germany are the bookies favourites, with Belgium, France and Australia outside bets and more likely to claim a podium place rather than the Gold medal.
The first down the ramp in Krakow was the Spanish team, silver medalist from last year in South Africa. The had a strong outfit on the startline, and wanted to live up to their favourite’s tag. Setting the benchmark at the first checkpoint with a time of 34’24”
The Spanish were followed by a very weak Greek team, who would be relying a lot of Vlatos today. Their weakness showed at the first check, with a time + 1’22” slower than Spain.
Switzerland were long shots with the bookies, but with the likes of Cancellara in their ranks, you can never really rule them out. + 54” down on Spain at Check 1.
Outsiders Russia could be the first team we saw that might cause a surprise here in Poland. Good riders against the clock, with some strong cobblers to boot, it could be a nice combination on the route. Just +7” down on Spain at check 1.
Portugal were counting on their TT strength to get them through today and started brightly over the early stages of the route. Crossing the line + 18” down on the early pace setters.
Defending champions and sadly Italy are nowhere near where they need to be today. One of the worst times at the first check, and they had already lost + 1’06” on Spain.
With no strong riders, Norway’s chances of a medal were very slim. They are better than Italy, but still + 53” down on Spain.
From one Scandinavian country to another, as neighbours Sweden followed the Norwegians down the ramp. Quicker than Norway at the first check, they would be + 26” down on the Spaniards.
Time for the big guns to hit the course and Germany would be the first to really challenge the fastest time so far. Just +2” slower after 26.6km gone.
Hong Kong was another nation like Italy, where a lack of nominated riders and selection issues meant a weakened team was hitting the Krakow course. Disappointing for them, as they would be + 52” at the first check.
The Ukraine had some strong riders in their ranks, but would that be enough over the Polish cobbles? A good start in comparison to similar squads already on the course, and they were + 38” down on Spain.
Austria looked to be at a similar level to the Ukraine and their time at the first check showed just that as well. + 35” for them against the Spanish time.
The German had gone within 2” of Spain, and now it was the Aussies who would look to challenge the time. We had seen 11 teams try and fail, but finally the Australian squad would knock the time off top spot at Check 1! 12” to be precise.
Wow this is like London Buses! You wait all day for a team to set a new fastest time, and you get two at once. Just as Australia better the time of Spain, the Netherlands take another 6” off the Aussie time. I think we know who the battle is going to be between at the finish.
The host nation had the follow the Dutch, and sadly we won’t be seeing another new fastest time. + 57” down on the Netherlands for Poland.
If Italy and Greece were having a disaster, then we don’t want to say what is happening to Luxembourg… Only 26km gone so far and already + 1’37” down on the Dutch time at Checkpoint 1. This could be a long ride to the finish for them.
The USA weren’t really mentioned by the bookmakers pre-race, but had enough firepower to cause an upset if they got it right on the day. Starting strongly enough, they were + 36” on the Netherlands.
Team GB also looked like they could threaten if they got it right on the day. Strong enough across both TT and Cobbles, they hoped a combination would be enough for a good result. Riding at a similar pace of the USA, they would be + 30” at check 1.
Next up we had the Czechs, who I think had more focus on the RR rather than the TTT. Started strongly though, they sat just + 24” down on the best time.
The French had some strong riders in their team, and their outside bet with the bookies was clearly justified. Losing only + 27” at the first check, it would be interesting to see how they get on over the rest of the course.
We had seen a lot of team start strongly, but no one expected this from the Danes. Yes they are mentioned by the bookmakers in the pre-race bets (as real outsiders) but they would set a fast time at the first checkpoint, at just + 14” down.
The Kiwis never looked comfortable out on the course, but their time looked better than what they looked. Just + 33” down on the Dutch, they would keep the US and Brits company in the mid table at Checkpoint 1.
Slovenia was the penultimate team to start, and looked slow in comparison to those who had come before hand. Losing just under a minute (+ 57”) in the first 26km, it could be a long day for them.
Last, but not least, we have Belgium hitting the course. Like the Czechs, the RR could be more of a target for them, but that will not stop them starting well in the TT. + 36” down on their Dutch neighbours at check 1.
Top 10 at Checkpoint 1
Reaching the second checkpoint first, Spain would be setting the benchmark with a time of 59’36 after 46.8km. All 8 riders were still together, and they were looking strong for a good finish today.
Greece (+ 1’55) and Switzerland (+ 1’20) passed through the second checkpoint before the Russians bettered the time of Spain to set the new best time. They had had a fantastic middle section to the race, making up 10” on the Spanish squad.
Portugal were still there or thereabouts, sitting + 31” behind the Russia team at Check 2. Consistency could give them a good Top 10 finish on the line.
Italy (+ 1’39), Norway (+ 1’26) and Sweden (+ 40”) wouldn’t be able to topple the time of the Russians, but unsurprisingly the Germans would knock a huge 17” off the best time at the 46.8km mark. After being down at the first check, it was a massive effort to lead by such a margin.
Hong Kong (+ 1’46), Ukraine (+ 1’14) and Austria (+ 1’25) offered no threat to the German time, rolling through and clearly not at the same level.
Now this is a shock though. Whilst the Germans had stormed the middle of the race, the Aussies had gone backwards. After being 14” up on Germany, they would be + 15” at check 2. What had happened over the last 20km? Was this putting their medal dreams at risk?
If the Aussies had struggled, then the Dutch had been in a dream world. Working well together, they would take 4” off the German time and take the lead through Checkpoint 2. They are certainly looking like the team to beat in Krakow…
Following the Dutch, there would be no team to challenge the time. In fact, the closest to their time would the French and Danes at + 49”. Everyone else would be much slower than that.
Top 10 at Checkpoint 2
The time to beat was set as Spain crossed the line in 1h16’42”. They had been strong over the entire course, and looked composed as they approached the cobble climb to the line at the end.
Greece and Switzerland came and went without any threat to the best time or the podiums at all. Both over + 1’30” slower than Spain.
The Russians were up at Checkpoint 2, but they suffered on that last climb and lose 9” to Spain over the final third of the race and finish + 6” down on last year’s silver medalists.
Portugal stayed at +30” to Spain before the defending champions Italy limped home. + 2’07” down on Spain, it was an embarrassment for the Italians…
Norway and Sweden wouldn’t be threatening the top teams, but Germany would certainly be wanting a medal. They had gone faster and faster over the entire course and better the Spanish time by 22”. Given others out on the road, that should be at least podium result.
Hong Kong, Austria and Ukraine all finished over 1’30” down on the German, before the Aussie showed that they are made of some stern stuff. Over 15” down at check 2, they would take 11” off the time of the Germans to take the best time. Where they found 26” from at the end we don’t know!
The Netherlands looked to be having the TTT title in the bag all day, but a disaster on the final climb could put that at risk! As the group split, it was almost as if they forgot the time was taken on the 5th rider across the line… Oh and their time? 1” faster than the Aussies! Talk about cutting it fine.
The host nation was never going to be challenging, but put in a valiant performance for 20th place on the day.
The worst performance of the day has to go to Luxembourg however, as they are almost caught by the USA team on the line, and end the day joint last, over 3’19” down on the time of the Netherlands.
If the Dutch had lost their organisation up the final climb though, it was nothing compared to Denmark. The Danes looked on for a great time before they reached the final climb, and as one rider set the pace, all the others couldn’t follow. The image shows a group of 5, but it was in fact 6 riders who came home for Denmark, with one already down the otherside of the cobble climb in the distance.
After the monster times of Germany, Australia and the Netherlands, there was no touching them on the road and the podium was set with 10 team still to finish. In fact, no team after the Dutch would come within 1’00” of the best time!
The Netherlands were worthy winners, setting the fastest time all checkpoints and taking Gold in Krakow. Australia were so close to Gold, but in the end have to settle for Silver, with the Germans taking Bronze.
