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Unlike the previous time trials
held over a 15-kilometre circuit the men's race is a
point-to-point 53.5 kilometre test. With defending champion
Bradley Wiggins and three time winner Fabian Cancellara absent
will Tony Martin regain his title and make it four wins in
five years or will one of the rising talents Rohan Dennis or
Tom Dumoulin take the crown?
Past Winners
2014 Bradley Wiggins (GBR)
2013 Tony Martin (GER)
2012 Tony Martin (GER)
2011 Tony Martin (GER)
2010 Fabian Cancellara (SUI)
2009 Fabian Cancellara (SUI)
2008 Bert Grabsch (GER)
2007 Fabian Cancellara (SUI)
2006 Fabian Cancellara (SUI)
2005 Michael Rogers (AUS)
2004 Michael Rogers (AUS)
2003 Michael Rogers (AUS)
2002 Santiago Botero (COL)
2001 Jan Ullrich (GER)
2000 Serhiy Honchar (UKR)
2014 Results
1 Bradley WIGGINS
2 Tony MARTIN +26.23
3 Tom DUMOULIN +40.64
4 Vasil KIRYIENKA +47.92
5 Rohan DENNIS +57.74
6 Adriano MALORI +1:11.62
7 Nelson OLIVEIRA +1:21.63
8 Anton VOROBYEV +1:29.66
9 Jan BARTA +1:43.41
10 Jonathan CASTROVIEJO +1:44.20
The Route
The Contenders
Start list and start order available
here
Expect to see Tony Martin, Rohan Dennis and Tom Dumoulin
fighting for the podium positions with Vasil Kiryienka and
Adriano Malori strong outside challengers.
Tony Martin
Martin took three consecutive world titles between 2011-2013
but lost out on a fourth last year to Bradley Wiggins. Won the
time trials at Volta ao Algarve and Tour de Romandie but
missed out on the win at the Tour de France and was third
behind Malori and Castroviejo at Tour du Poitou Charentes.
Despite this his form in the TTT shows he is right on track
for the individual time trial. After missing out last year
expect him to be as motivated as ever to take the title back.
Rohan Dennis
2015 has been a season of success for the 25 year old
Australia. Won the Tour Down under, set a new Hour Record, won
the opening stage ITT at the Tour de France. More recently he
was dominant at the USA Pro Challenge, winning two stages
including the ITT and the overall. If Martin looked strong in
the TTT Dennis looked just as if not even stronger putting in
massive turns as he lead BMC to victory. Finished 12th in 2013
and fifth last year and this year looks set to challenge for
not just the podium but the win. Has spent the last month in
the US preparing and this year he has ticked off goal after
goal.
Tom Dumoulin
After his bronze medal last year and his stand out Vuelta
following his return from a crash at the Tour it looks like
Dumoulin will be fighting for the podium again this year. The
biggest question though is how much has going deep for three
weeks in the Vuelta taken out of him. Won the hard time trial
at the Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco, prologue and final stage
ITT at the Tour de Suisse. Like Martin and Dennis he was a key
part of his teams performance in the TTT on Sunday helping
Giant-Alpecin to a strong fifth place finish.
Vasil Kiryienka
After missing the podium last year by just seven seconds
Kiryienka will be looking to repeat his podium performance
from 2012 in Limburg. Took a strong win on the 59.4 kilometre
ITT at the Giro before taking out the European Games ITT.
Didn't race the Tour de France this year but returned at the
Vuelta finishing fourth in the only race against the clock on
stage 17.
Adriano Malori
The 2008 under 23 world champion has been getting stronger and
stronger against the clock in the elite ranks. Tenth in 2012,
eighth in 2013 and sixth last year. Has won time trials at
Tour de San Luis, Tirreno-Adriatico (prologue), Circuit
Cycliste Sarthe and Tour du Poitou Charentes this year. Beat
Tony Martin at Poitou Charentes a month ago by four seconds
but at less than half the distanced and a month out doesn't
mean he will be able to beat Martin here Was a key part of the
Movistar squad in the TTT helping them to a bronze medal.
Taylor Phinney
Former under 23 world champion returned to racing in August
after more than a year recovering from a serious crash at the
US Nationals last year. Phinney finished just five seconds
behind Martin in 2012 and on home roads Phinney will want to
put in a strong performance. Was on flying form in Utah and
Colorado last month and was part of the BMC squad that took
gold in the TTT but the question is if he is ready to again
challenge the best. A medal for Phinney would be an extremely
popular result.
Alex Dowsett
2014 Commonwealth Games Champion finished eighth in 2012 but
the past two years hasn't been able to challenge for the top
10 or medals. Set a new Hour Record and won the time trial at
Bayern Rundfahrt on route to overall as well as another
British title this year. Injuries have interrupted his season
a number of times but Dowsett looks to be coming in to form at
the right time. Won bronze with Movistar in the TTT but the
longer time trials have been Dowsett's biggest challenges.
Rasmus Quaade
Quaade, a former under 23 silver medallist finally turned
professional with Cult Energy this year. Sixth in 2013 and
thirteenth last year after an early crash. Finished fifth at
the European Games this year but otherwise doesn't have a
stand out time trial result in 2015. Always produces a strong
ride at Worlds and another top ten or approaching a top five
would be a good result.
Jan Barta
After finished seventh, eleventh and ninth the past three
years it would be a mistake to discount the Czech time trial
champion. Has been relatively quiet this year after finishing
third behind Dowsett and Machado at the Bayern Rundfahrt but
always performs well at worlds. Another top 10 finish would be
a good result.
Nelson Oliveira
Oliveira's seventh place finish in 2014 was a big improvement
on 15th in 2013 and with the form he was showing at the Vuelta
expect another strong performance. Took an impressive solo
stage win at the Vuelta and was not far from a second. Eighth
in the ITT but 4th-10th was covered by around 20 seconds.
Stefan Kueng
Under 23 bronze medallist last year and has had a very strong
first year in the senior ranks. Finished second to Bradley
Wiggins by 10 seconds at the Driedaagse De Panne-Koksijde and
took a solo stage win at the Tour de Romandie. Wont be
challenging for the win this year but it will be a good test
to see how the individual pursuit world champion is going at
the end of his first year as a professional.
Other names to watch: Jonathan Castroviejo, Marcin
Bialoblocki, Stephen Cummings, Jesse Sergent, Maciej Bodnar,
Luke Durbridge, Luis Leon Sanchez and Ilnur Zakarin. |
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