UCI World Championships Elite Women's Time Trial Preview

UCI World Championships Elite Women's Time Trial Preview
08:48, 19 Sep 2017

The Event

The Women’s Elite Time Trial, an enthralling even given the amount of powerful roleurs in the women’s peloton. First run in 1994, the event already has a rich history with Jeannie Logngo the most successful time trialist with four World Championship gold medals.

The Route

The same as the junior men’s, seen yesterday. One ‘long lap’ of the course, seen to the bottom right of the profile there. Like all of the time trial courses, it runs past Lake Nordåsvannet. All of the circuits also start by Grieghallen, turning left to pass through the city centre with Christies Gate, Musehagen before turning out of the City over the bridge, where after about a kilometre the riders will pass Michael Khrons Gate, turn right, and then pass the first checkpoint before a run down to the Paradis area.

They will take a u-turn and then all riders, except the junior women, will ride up the Birkelundsbakken, a sharp climb that averages 7.2% and tops out at 9%, lasting 1.4km. They technically descend afterwards, although there is a small climb up to Arstad, before they hit flat roads once again in Bergen.

Past Kong Oscars Gate, the finish is approaching and matters begin to become more technical, as the 700 metres stretch from Kong Oskarsgate (Kong Oscar Street) to halfway down Øvregaten (High Street) is cobbled. There is then a succession of curved corners that constantly turn, before a complete hairpin.

There is only one bend that the organisers list as ‘tight’, but the riders will be constantly turning before the finish.

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The Winner

Will be good at pacing. We’ve had evidence of the roads for the time trial course and it is clear that it is possible to blow one’s effort by going too hard too early over the flat roads, and the rolling roads combined with the Birkelundsbakken have been enough to cost significant sections. A good climber can make time here, and bike handling is integral.

The Contenders

Precious little separated the top 5 in Doha a year ago and it could well be the same story once again this year. Amber Neben took the title last year and will be raring to go after a horror show in the team time trial when her chain became entangled with her crank and her race was ended early. She has raced lightly this season but took the American time trial and national championships double.

Ellen van Dijk, in complete contrast, was part of the winning Sunweb squad and has been in fine form, taking the European Championships by nearly a minute with Countrywoman Anna Van Der Breggen 1:04 behind in third. Sophie Ann-Duyck was second there, 58 seconds in arrears, and will like the return to a longer trip here having finished seventh in the time trial at the Boels Tour.

The form contender is Annemiek Van Vleuten, who carries the hot streak of having won the last four time-trials she has lined-up in, including the Boels Tour when she beat van Dijk by four seconds with Linda Villumsen 26 seconds behind in third. She will take all the beating.

Villumsen had to drive here Virtu team to a very respectable fifth in a disastrous team time trial and she has been racing lightly too, building up towards this effort. Her strong form at La Course suggests she will go well.

Katrin Garfoot took the Australian title all the way back in January and has raced plenty, but hasn’t been on the time trial bike for a long time – all the way back at the Giro, and even then, it was the team time trial bike.

Olga Zabelinskaya was fourth last year in Doha but only eight at the European Championships and hasn’t shown a whole lot of form.

Lauren Stephens took the time trial at the Tour Cycliste Féminin International de l'Ardèche and will hope to contend for medals. Only two seconds separated Lisa Brennauer and Trixi Worrack in their battle for the German time trial championship and they will both be aiming for personal bests, having been slightly off the pace this season.

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