Riders who normally don't ride on the same team have to cooperate in the Team Time Trial event. The bookmakers name France, Germany and the Netherlands as favorites, with Italy, Russia and Spain as outsiders.
Netherlands the first starter by drawing of lots. There is a time check after 30 of the 50 kilometer, which they cross with 34 minutes and 52 seconds on the clock.
Last year's bronze medalist Colombia up next, and they fall short of this time by over a minute already.
Reigning champions Portugal pulled a major stunt last year, but likely not to be repeated, 31 seconds down at the split.
New best time for France, but it's close. Only leading by seven seconds, which could easily be turned around by the Dutch.
New Zealand is not a country which will battle for the medals, slowest time out of anyone so far.
The home country Australia would be contenders under normal circumstances, but with the entire Bennelong team ruled out for unknown reasons they have a weaker team. Fourth time, 52 seconds behind France.
Belgium with a decent effort, 22 seconds for virtual bronze.
One third of the teams have set their initial time. Denmark only one second behind Portugal, chances of a top ten.
The route takes the riders over a long highway, where many teams can see each other in the distance. Norway is five seconds faster than the Danes who started ahead of them.
Czech Republic losing 44 seconds in the first part.
Ireland ten seconds faster than New Zealand to avoid the shame of last place.
And as Ireland crosses the split, the Netherlands reaches the finish line. The four-time champions are led over the line by outgoing time trial champion Gesink in 59'57, just under the hour.
Colombia finishes at 1'49.
Great Britain's hope of a good result are quickly dashed at the intermediate. Virtual seventh place at 43 seconds.
The split time for Switzerland is in. Virtual ninth place at nearly a minute from France.
Portugal loses 46 seconds at the finish line, and are no longer world champions.
Sweden with the worst time out of anyone at the split.
The French led the Dutch by seven second at the checkpoint. At the finish line the lead has been reduced, but not enough. The French are the new leaders by four seconds!
New Zealand finishes in 1h02'04, a candidate for the laterne rouge.
Australia 1h01'15, fourth time on the leaderboard.
Slovenia with a non-spectacular time, amongst the worst at the split.
Finally another contender in Italy but they lost 27 seconds to France at the split. Only fourth place.
Poland at the start. They post a midfield time and have to pick up the pace if they want to enter the top ten.
The Belgians still hold the third time at the split and they post the third time at the line, 32 seconds.
A disappointing split time for Germany. 27 seconds behind France, same time as Italy and Norway.
Denmark finishes in 1h00'41. They overtook Portugal in the final part, from one second behind to two seconds ahead.
Russia elevate themselves to favorites for a medal. Second place at the timing points, six seconds behind France. If the riders can stick together they will improve on their best result, bronze in 2011.
Norway struggling to have the five riders at the finish line. It might have cost them some time, as they barely stay ahead of Denmark and Portugal for virtual fourth.
Czech Republic just behind these countries.
Ireland eighteen seconds faster than New Zealand to avoid last place.
Great Britain goes to virtual eighth place, but will likely drop out of the top ten once all teams have finished.
Switzerland looking set for a mid-table result, placing themselves behind the British.
Sweden did not overcome the deficit to New Zealand and takes last place away from them.
Slovenia also finished, in 1h01'30, which is eleventh at the moment out of sixteen finishers.
Kazakhstan the new favorites for laterne rouge, two seconds slower than Sweden at the split.
Last year's silver medalist USA is suffering a lot due to Phinney's absence. They don't even post a top ten at the checkpoint.
Austria has some decent time trialist and decent cooperation, they're exactly in the middle of the pack at the halfway point.
Two teams left to cross the checkpoint. Ukraine is one for the bottom half.
Spain starts last and ensures the battle for the top positions will be taken to the end. Fourth time at nineteen seconds. They have to overcome twelve seconds to the Netherlands to reach the podium.
And as all teams have crossed the intermediate, here's the top ten there:
Rank
Team
Time
1
France
34'45
2
Russia
+ 6
3
Netherlands
+ 7
4
Spain
+ 19
5
Belgium
+ 22
6
Italy
+ 27
7
Norway
s.t.
8
Germany
s.t.
9
Portugal
+ 31
10
Denmark
+ 32
Finish line for the Italian team. They were tied with the Norwegians, but had a better final part. They also overtake Belgium by five seconds for virtual third place.
Poland finishes next, they go eleventh.
Germany even faster than Italy, by eight seconds. It's not enough to catch France and the Netherlands, but they are on the virtual podium with only five nations left.
One of them being the Russians, and they have obliterated the opposition on the final section. They go from six seconds behind to seventeen seconds ahead of France! 59'36 is likely to be the winning time.
On the other end of the table, Kazakhstan indeed posts the worst time of the day and finish 24th. Back to the drawing board.
USA was behind the Australian's at the split but they went ahead. It's only for fourteenth place though.
Austria one second ahead of the British to take twelfth place.
And the final country to cross the line is Spain. Their deficit to France and the Netherlands stayed roughly the same, hence they're falling just off the podium.
Russia wins for the first time with an incredibly fast final twenty kilometer. France and The Netherlands complete the podium.
Netherlands the first starter by drawing of lots. There is a time check after 30 of the 50 kilometer, which they cross with 34 minutes and 52 seconds on the clock.
Colombia up next, and they fall short of this time by over a minute already.
Portugal pulled a major stunt last year, but likely not to be repeated, 31 seconds down at the split.
France, but it's close. Only leading by seven seconds, which could easily be turned around by the Dutch.
New Zealand is not a country which will battle for the medals, slowest time out of anyone so far.
Australia would be contenders under normal circumstances, but with the entire Bennelong team ruled out for unknown reasons they have a weaker team. Fourth time, 52 seconds behind France.
Belgium with a decent effort, 22 seconds for virtual bronze.
Denmark only one second behind Portugal, chances of a top ten.
Norway is five seconds faster than the Danes who started ahead of them.
Czech Republic losing 44 seconds in the first part.
Ireland ten seconds faster than New Zealand to avoid the shame of last place.
Great Britain's hope of a good result are quickly dashed at the intermediate. Virtual seventh place at 43 seconds.
Switzerland is in. Virtual ninth place at nearly a minute from France.
Sweden with the worst time out of anyone at the split.
Slovenia with a non-spectacular time, amongst the worst at the split.
Italy but they lost 27 seconds to France at the split. Only fourth place.
Poland at the start. They post a midfield time and have to pick up the pace if they want to enter the top ten.
Germany. 27 seconds behind France, same time as Italy and Norway.
Russia elevate themselves to favorites for a medal. Second place at the timing points, six seconds behind France. If the riders can stick together they will improve on their best result, bronze in 2011.
Kazakhstan the new favorites for laterne rouge, two seconds slower than Sweden at the split.
USA is suffering a lot due to Phinney's absence. They don't even post a top ten at the checkpoint.
Austria has some decent time trialist and decent cooperation, they're exactly in the middle of the pack at the halfway point.
Ukraine is one for the bottom half.
Spain starts last and ensures the battle for the top positions will be taken to the end. Fourth time at nineteen seconds. They have to overcome twelve seconds to the Netherlands to reach the podium.
