The Team Time Trial World Championships are the 2nd event of World Championship Week here in Stange. The riders face a 42k course, which is mostly flat. Italy are the favorites today, they last won this event in 2016. They are joined on 3 stars by defending champion France and the USA. Phinney has never won a TTT Gold Medal, one of the few holes in his resume.
Surprisingly the French are the first team on the course.
The home team are 2nd on the course.
Behind them the Latvians, Neilands should be on a high after his B road race win.
Belgium is the 4th team on the course.
The Czechs are the 5th team through the first time check and they slot into 4th, 37 seconds down on Belgium and France, who are tied for the lead. Norway at 10 seconds, Latvia the trailers at 45 seconds.
Dennis and his teammates are the next team on the course. Hopefully they are enjoying the attractive Norwegian countryside but mainly they seem to be enjoying the ride – they are 7 seconds ahead of Belgium at the 1st check.
The Ukranians are the 7th team to pass the first time check, they are 48 seconds down. Zmorka’s better hope of a medal comes in the individual test.
Poland will be the next team to arrive at the first check.
Charles Matte and the Canadians are behind them. Poland are 14 seconds down at the check, Canada 37 seconds.
The Swiss have also passed the first check, great time for them, just 1 second behind Australia.
Meanwhile France have completed the course in 47’18, we will see how that stands up, a repeat victory seems unlikely given how times are going at the time check.
A solid time by Greece they are 12 seconds down at the first check.
More times at the finish, the French were strong in the 2nd half as the Belgians drop to 12 seconds off the pace. The Norwegians do their home fans proud losing a very solid 21 seconds. Latvia lost a less solid 1’36.
4-time champions the Netherlands have set a solid first half time, 6 seconds behind Australia.
But ahead of them the US did even better, setting the new best time by 6 seconds while behind them the Italians are just 4 seconds behind the US. Good times from two of the top favorites.
At the finish the Australians have set the best time 46’56, 21 seconds better than France. The French reign is over.
Germany are the next team at the time check. They are 20 seconds down, 9th.
Mullen drives the pace for the Irish. But he can’t do it on his own, they were 26 seconds down at the time check.
Russia (+0’10) and Lithuania (+0’59) have also passed the first check. Poland (4th), Ukraine (6th), Canada (7th) and the Czech Republic (8th) have all finished, none of them will be on the podium. 9 teams are finished, 15 to go.
Spain is about to reach the first check.
They pass it 17 seconds down. At the finish the Swiss are second, 5 seconds down on the Aussies.
Phinney is 2nd wheel as the US reaches the finish. Craddock leading the charge.
The US is the new leaders in a time of 46’50. Will this be the year for them?
Right now the Italians seem to be the biggest threat to them but 4 teams have yet to reach the first time check. The Danes have passed the first check, they were 29 seconds down.
The Netherlands lose 13 seconds to the US in the 2nd half, no medals for them they are 4th in the provisional standings. Greece finished the course a little earlier, they were 45 seconds down.
The Italians will be the next to finish. Cattaneo on the front for them with 4k to ride, he has had a great season, Gold today would be the icing on the cake.
The Portuguese won’t win it, they were 38 seconds down at the first check.
The British cross the first time check 44 seconds down. No glory for them either.
Austria
And Hong Kong are the only teams left to reach the first time check.
News from the finish line, the Italians lose 7 seconds to the US in the 2nd half and drop to third on the day (Australia still in second). Only really Russia left on the course could threaten a US victory.
Germany (+’032, 7th) and Ireland (+0’50, 12th) finish next.
At the first time check both Austria (+0’56) and Hong Kong (+0’27) are already out of it.
The Russians coming to the finish, barring a miracle 2nd segment from one of the others, this is the race right here. Vorobev leads them across.
But they drop 2 seconds on the US in the 2nd half and finish 12 seconds down, currently 6th.
Now it is just a matter of waiting to see if there are any miracles.
There aren’t. The best of the remaining teams is Spain, who finish 7th.
The USA wins the World TTT Championship. Australia Silver, Italy Bronze.
Phinney has never won a TTT Gold Medal, one of the few holes in his resume.
Neilands should be on a high after his B road race win.
Dennis and his teammates are the next team on the course. Hopefully they are enjoying the attractive Norwegian countryside but mainly they seem to be enjoying the ride – they are 7 seconds ahead of Belgium at the 1st check.
Zmorka’s better hope of a medal comes in the individual test.
Charles Matte and the Canadians are behind them. Poland are 14 seconds down at the check, Canada 37 seconds.
Mullen drives the pace for the Irish. But he can’t do it on his own, they were 26 seconds down at the time check. 
Cattaneo on the front for them with 4k to ride, he has had a great season, Gold today would be the icing on the cake.
Vorobev leads them across.
