International Males’s TT Preview: The International championship time trial for the elite males is that this Friday, coming 5 days after the street race. In most cases we have now it as a warm-up, however this yr it’s the ultimate race for the boys. With Filippo Ganna, Remco Evenepoel and Wout van Aert as large favourites, we have now a most sensible elegance box in Scotland. Don’t overlook there may be Tadej Pogačar, Stefan Küng and final yr’s marvel champion; Tobias Foss.
Can Ganna beat the Belgians?
Final yr’s winner – Tobias Foss
The International time trial Championship is now in its thirtieth version, the primary one being in Sicily in 1994. That yr, Chris Boardman was once the primary International TT champion, simply days after profitable the pursuit crown. I commit it to memory neatly as I used to be there within the Sicilian warmth. Since then there were some very large names take the rainbow TT jersey: Jan Ullrich, Michael Rogers, Fabian Cancellara, Tony Martin, Bradley Wiggins, Vasil Kiryienka, Rohan Dennis, Filippo Ganna and final yr it was once Tobias Foss.
The primary International ITT champion – Chris Boardman
The course
The 2023 International’s time trials all get started and end in Stirling, a fortress the city that has at all times been essential in Scottish historical past, particularly when it got here to invading English armies and the battles that despatched them house once more. The Battles of Stirling Bridge and Bannockburn have been all on this space. Stirling is situated in central Scotland, roughly 42km north east of Glasgow and about 60km north west of Edinburgh.
Worlds’23 Males’s Time Trial map
The time trial fight takes position west of Stirling, within the shadow of the fortress on roads neatly know to native time trialists. The boys race over a course of 47.8 kilometres, with numerous lengthy straights. There are handiest twelve bends of 90 levels or sharper. There are a couple of climbs, which provides the race a complete of 352 metres of hiking. There are not any lengthy or steep climbs.
An influence direction made for Filippo Ganna?
The early kilometres, to the primary intermediate timing level at 12.5 kilometres, are utterly flat. After about 30 kilometres, there’s a slight upward push close to the city of Kippen (0.8km at 3.2%). Adopted at 34.5 kilometres by means of the second one time test. Then there’s a quick climb of 400 metres at 5%.
Worlds’23 Males’s Time Trial profile
Then there are two extra small up-hills of 300 metres at 3.7% and 600 metres at 3.7% sooner than returning to Stirling. The toughest a part of the direction is on the end to Stirling Citadel. The final 800 cobbled metres to the castle are at 5.5%.
The end in-front of Stirling Citadel
The Favourites
Final yr’s winner, Tobias Foss might be at the beginning, however the protecting champion has no longer proven a lot this yr. His perfect end result towards the clock was once 2d within the prologue of the Excursion de Romandie, one 2d at the back of winner Josef Cerny. He additionally completed fifth within the Volta ao Algarve, eighth within the Excursion of Romandie and ninth in Excursion of Poland time trials. Even if the Norwegian didn’t carry out a lot better final yr, sooner than he gained the International identify in Wollongong. It could once more be a marvel if he gained on Friday.
Foss once more?
Remco Evenepoel has already come shut a couple of instances. He was once International TT champion as a junior and he completed 2d at the back of Rohan Dennis in his first yr as a professional. In 2020, Evenepoel didn’t trip due his crash in Il Lombardia, however in 2021, in Brugge, he was once at the podium with bronze. It was once the similar once more in Wollongong, every week after profitable the Vuelta a España. This yr Evenepoel doesn’t have a complete Grand Excursion in his legs and must be a little bit more energizing at the beginning of the time trial in Scotland. He rode the International’s street race final Sunday, the place he almost definitely wasn’t fitted to the direction. The time trial isn’t technical and must swimsuit him much better. Clearly his shape is excellent, as was once noticed within the Clásica San Sebastián and we all know he can win towards the clock. Within the 19.6 kilometre opening time trial of the Giro, Evenepoel beat Ganna by means of 22 seconds.
Evenepoel needs a rainbow jersey, once more
Filippo Ganna, the arena champion of 2020 and 2021, will wish to take again his identify. The indicators are excellent for the Italian: he gained two time trials previous to the International championships. On the finish of June he changed into nationwide time trial champion, a month later he gained the time trial of the Ethias-Excursion de Wallonie. The 27 year-old INEOS Grenadiers rider additionally retained his International pursuit identify final weekend. Ganna might be higher rested for the International time trial championship than maximum of his competition, as he didn’t trip the International street race final Sunday.
Which step of the rostrum for Ganna
Wout van Aert had a difficult street race in Glasgow, taking 2d position. The Belgian had no resolution to his rival Mathieu van der Poel, however he’s going to be having a look ahead to Friday. Van Aert already has two silver time trial medals. 2d in Imola and 2d in Brugge. Final yr he didn’t trip International’s time trial International Championship to concentrate on the street race, however the exchange so as approach he’s again. He’s additionally the reigning Belgian champion. In Herzele he took his handiest time trial victory of 2023, after Evenepoel crashed early at the rainy street floor. If it rains once more in Scotland on Friday, that are supposed to be a bonus for Van Aert.
Can Van Aert take gold?
3rd at the street race podium in Glasgow was once Tadej Pogačar. The Slovenian has recovered from the Excursion de France and is racing neatly. In Glasgow the gold was once out of his snatch, however in Sterling he has any other likelihood, despite the fact that it is going to be tricky to overcome his extra robust combatants. In his earlier participations within the Worlds TT, he completed tenth in 2021 and sixth 2022. On his day, Pogačar can trip a excellent flat time trial, as he did within the first TT level of the 2021 Excursion.
Pogačar – Why no longer?
Stefan Kung has been Ecu time trial champion two times, in 2020 and 2021, however he in most cases finishes at the podium. Küng has gained two time trials this season. Within the Volta ao Algarve he beat Rémi Cavagna and Filippo Ganna, then within the Excursion de Suisse he beat Remco Evenepoel and Wout van Aert. So he can do it. Now he has to win an important time trial of the season.
Küng – All the time shut
Rohan Dennis has been the International time trial champion two times, in 2018 and 2019. Even if profitable a 3rd identify seems tricky. The Jumbo-Visma rider began his ultimate yr within the professional peloton moderately neatly, however hasn’t been noticed to a lot on the motion finish of items. For the reason that Excursion de Suisse he hasn’t raced. However, previously, Dennis has labored against positive objectives, with good fortune and that is a kind of objectives.
a final identify for Rohan Dennis?
Younger Joshua Tarling is in his first season as a professional and has already proven that he’s very proficient as a time trialist. The nineteen year-old INEOS Grenadiers rider has ridden 3 time trials this season and hasn’t ever completed worse than 2d. 2d within the ultimate time trial of the Etoile de Bessèges, victory within the British TT championship and 2d within the time trial of the Ethias-Excursion de Wallonie. Within the 32.7 kilometre level in Wollonia, he misplaced handiest 8 seconds to Filippo Ganna.
GB younger hope – Joshua Tarling
INEOS Grenadiers and Britain even have Geraint Thomas. The Welshman is eighteen years older than Tarling, however he can nonetheless installed a most sensible efficiency towards the clock. He was once 2d in the second one time trial of the Giro, 1 2d at the back of Evenepoel (who had covid). Final week he was once third within the TT level of the Excursion de Pologne. His shape must be excellent as he’s driving the Vuelta on the finish of the month. Thomas didn’t trip the street race, concentrating at the time trial, he gained’t be doing that for not anything.
Now not so younger GB hope – Geraint Thomas
Within the Polish time trial, Thomas was once overwhelmed by means of João Almeida and Mattia Cattaneo, each are at the beginning on Friday. The Italian gained the time trial in Poland, however doesn’t believe himself a favorite for the International identify. Cattaneo was once 2d within the Italian nationwide championship TT, 24 seconds at the back of Ganna.
Mattia Cattaneo – Italy’s No.2
Rémi Cavagna, ‘The TGV of Clermont-Ferrand’ hasn’t proven his time trial talents a lot this yr, however they have been on lessons that didn’t swimsuit him. A sixth position within the Excursion’s hilly time trial was once a excellent efficiency for the French TT champion. He rode higher within the time trials with much less hiking, within the Volta ao Algarve he was once 2d and he gained within the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali.
Out of doors likelihood for Rémi Cavagna
Is there any individual else we must search for? Mikkel Bjerg and Stefan Bissegger may just do one thing. Bjerg gained the person time trial within the Critérium du Dauphiné this yr and was once U23 International time trial champion 3 years in a row in 2017, 2018 and 2019. He was once third in Danish TT championship, at the back of Mattias Skjelmose and Kasper Asgreen. Bissegger is the reigning Ecu champion and he completed within the most sensible ten on the earlier two International championships.
Euro champ Stefan Bissegger – Best 10
Our favourites:
The large fight might be between: Remco Evenepoel, Filippo Ganna and Wout van Aert.
The possibles: Stefan Küng, Tadej Pogačar and Rohan Dennis.
The out-siders: Geraint Thomas, Joshua Tarling, Mattia Cattaneo and Remi Cavagna.
The PEZ cash is going on Remco…
# Keep PEZ for the time trial race file quickly after the end on Friday. #
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