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A dominant performance by BMC Racing in the 2015 UCI Road World Championships’ Elite Men’s Team Time Trial saw the American-registered World Tour team retain their position as Team Time Trial World Champions.
The local favourites were pushed all the way to the finishing line by two-times champions Etixx – Quick-Step, however, not even the massive engine of Tony Martin could overhaul an 11 second time deficit. So for the second year in a row the Belgian World Tour team will have to be content with a silver medal and being the bridesmaid.
Meanwhile, a strong performance from Team Movistar earned the Spanish World Tour team a podium position and the bronze medal ahead of Orica – GreenEdge. Finishing 30 adrift of the winning time of BMC Racing, Movistar completed the 38.8 kilometre-long course 23 seconds faster than the Australian World Tour team.
Except for Tinkoff – Saxo and Sky Pro Cycling, the majority of the teams and their riders managed to complete the event without injury. During the pre-race reconnaissance ride Team Sky’s Danny Pate, Elia Viviani and Luke Rowe crashed at 60 kilometres-per-hour and suffered severe road rash.
Tinkoff – Saxo’s Michael Rogers and Michael Valgren suffered a similar fate during the event close to the second time check, at the 13.7-kilometre mark, and consigned Tinkoff – Saxo’s promising time trial performance to the dustbin. The crash, which seemed to be caused by a touching of wheels in the relay, saw the Russian World Tour team limp across the line in last place.
Belgian Pro-Continental team Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise would prove to be the best of the smaller teams with sixteenth place, recording a time of two minutes and twenty seconds slower than BMC Racing. Continental-licensed Optum presented by Kelly Benefit Strategies proved themselves to be the best of the domestic American non-World Tour teams with seventeenth place, just four seconds slower than the time of Topsport Vlaanderen.
Twenty-five year-old South Australian Rohan Dennis received a gold medal for his contribution to BMC Racing’s successful world championship defense.
[Results] 2015 UCI Road World Championships – Elite Men’s Team Time Trial:
01. BMC Racing Team (USA) in 00:42:07″…
02. Etixx – Quick-Step (BEL) in 00:42:19″… (+0:12″)
03. Movistar Team (ESP) in 00:42:38″… (+0.31″)
04. Orica – GreenEdge (AUS) in 00:43:01″… (+0:54″)
05. Team Giant – Alpecin (GER) in 00:43:11″… (+1:04″)
06. Team LottoNL – Jumbo (NED) in 00:43:25″… (+1:18″)
07. Lotto Soudal (BEL) in 00:43:34″… (+1:27″)
08. Astana Pro Team (KZ.) in 00:43:45″… (+1:38″)
09. Sky Pro Cycling (GBR) in 00:43:49″… (+1:42″)
10. Trek Factory Racing (USA) in 00:43:54″… (+1:47″)
The 2015 UCI Road World Championships are finally upon us and after much preparation is it Richmond, Virginia’s time to shine on the global stage. Join The Roar for live updates and commentary of the Elite Men’s Team Time Trial from 3:30am (AEST).
With the Road World Championships generally contested by national teams, the team time trial is a bit of an oddity as it is contested by the trade teams that participate in the big races such as the Tour de France. After a long absence it was reintroduced by the UCI in 2012, BMC Racing were crowned the champions at the 2014 UCI Road World Championships in Ponferrada, Spain.
Beginning in Henrico County at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, the 38.8 kilometre-long course heads east for Richmond Heights, passing through the city of Richmond, before making an about-face to finish back in downtown Richmond.
Featuring 240 metres of elevation change, several technical corners and many long, fast straightaways, the course has a mix of everything, meaning the correct team balance must be found to win this one.
The world’s greatest team time trial teams are defined by their discipline, teamwork and coordination. While excellence in the individual time trial can be advantageous, each individual rider needs to be great at riding in a relay above all else. As a result some of the very best team time trialists come from a team pursuit background in the velodrome.
Once again the moniker of world champions, on paper, looks set to be a three-way battle between between BMC Racing, Etixx – Quick-Step and Orica – Orica-GreenEDGE. While BMC Racing claimed the title by thirty-two seconds in 2014, in 2012 and 2013 the victory was decided by a margin of less than five seconds.
Defending champions BMC Racing come into the race having made two changes to last year’s successful line up. Taylor Phinney and Stefan Kung replace Tejay Van Garderen and Peter Velits in the team of six while Manuel Quinziato, Daniel Oss, Silvan Dillier and Rohan Dennis retain their places.
Two-time champions, and third placed finishers in 2014, Etixx – Quick-Step have followed BMC Racing in naming two changes to last year’s roster with Rigoberto Uran and Yves Lampaert replacing Pieter Serry and Julien Vermote. The addition of accomplished time trialist Rigoberto Uran could help push Etixx – Quick-Step to a third world championship.
Twice the bridesmaids, along with a third place back in 2012, Orica – Orica-GreenEDGE will be hoping to break their drought and claim that elusive first victory. The Australian team brings regulars Luke Durbridge, Jens Mouris and Svein Tuft with them as well as Michael Hepburn, Sam Bewley and Michael Matthews.
While my heart says Orica – Orica-GreenEDGE my head is tipping Etixx – Quick-Step for a third world championship victory. However, the trio will have to be mindful of the outside threat posed by the likes Tinkoff – Saxo, Sky Pro Cycling and Movistar, with the Spanish team the leading contender to steal away a spot on the podium.
But what do you think? Let us know in the comments and join The Roar from 3:30am (AEST) for live updates, commentary and a chat as we follow the opening day of the 2015 UCI Road World Championships.
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