Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Thursday, October 13, 2016

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Wine: a constant proof that God loves us, and loves to see us happy. - Benjamin Franklin

Recently completed racing:

• October 2: Tour de l'Eurométropole
• October 3: Sparkassen Munsterland-Giro
• October 4: Binche-Chimay-Binche
• October 6: Paris-Bourges
• October 9: Paris-Tours
• October 11: Nationale Sluitingprijs-Putte Kapellen

Current Racing:

• October 9 - 16: World Road Cycling Championships

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Elite Men's World Individual Time Trial Championship news

You can read the report from winner Tony Martin's Etixx-Quick Step team here

Interesting piece in Velonews. Tony Martin was riding on clinchers and his techs say they are faster. You can read the story here.

Tony Martin on his way to a fourth individual time trial world championship

Here's what silver medalist Vasil Kiryienka's Team Sky had to say:

Vasil Kiryienka put up a valiant defence of his world time trial championship title with a superb second place in Doha. Representing Belarus, Kiryienka powered around the flat 40-kilometre course in intense heat, clocking a time of 45 minutes and 28 seconds to clinch a silver medal.

Tony Martin (Germany/Etixx - Quick-Step) was the man to beat in Qatar and took his fourth title in style, fastest through every intermediate split to finish 45 seconds up on Kiryienka.

The runner-up spot continued an incredible run of consistency for the Team Sky rider, who has racked up a top-four finish at every world championships since 2012.

Vasil Kiryienka

Nicolas Roche was the other Team Sky rider in action in the colours of Ireland, taking 30th place. Roche's compatriot Ryan Mullen found himself on the hot seat for much of the afternoon, but as the action heated up late on Maciej Bodnar (Poland/Tinkoff), Jonathan Castroviejo (Spain/Movistar) and Martin all set faster times in quick succession.

The worlds action continues on Sunday with the hotly contested men's road race.

Here's third-place Jonathan Castroviejo's Movistar team report:

At Richmond, during the last World Championships held before today, 13 months ago, Jonathan Castroviejo came just three seconds behind Jérôme Coppel (FRA) for bronze. Over at Rio de Janeiro, just over 60 days ago, he was again beaten, by Chris Froome (GBR), by only four seconds. But today, and yet again by a short margin -just 6" ahead of Maciej Bodnar (POL), making part of a luxurious podium alongside Tony Martin (GER) and Vasil Kiryienka (BLR)-, Castroviejo savoured a well-deserved moment of joy at last, within the very best against the clock. The recently-crowned European TT champion, author of a magnificent late 2016 season following his neck injury in February after crashing against a spectator following the final stage of the Volta ao Algarve, offered the Spanish natinoal team a bronze medal in Doha, venue of a sorching hot ITT Worlds over 40km between the Lusail Sports Complex and The Pearl.

It was a strong start by the 29-year-old Movistar Team rider from the Basque Country, yet he always rode saving some energy for the end. 'Castro' was 6th at the first intermediate check, 13km in, at 16" from Martin, who was already in the lead ahead of Kiryienka (+2"). Jonathan was sitting 8" off the virtual bronze medal position held by a surprising Ryan Mullen (IRL), a margin reduced at the second split (26km), where the Getxo-born cyclist's progression began to let notice. Castroviejo was then only 1" behind the Irishman; 2" off the pace of Rohan Dennis (AUS); and 3" behind Jos Van Emden (NED), whose 'cracking-down' near the end narrowed the contest for bronze to just three men -with Martin in the lead, 21" over Kiryienka and 37" ahead of 'Castro'-. The momentum gained by Castroviejo was ultimately confirmed at the finish, where Jonathan put 17" on Dennis, 11" on Mullen and held a six-second margin against Bodnar, so close to leaving him out of the podium again.

Jonathan Castroviejo

Castroviejo, claiming the 100th podium place in 2016 for Eusebio Unzué's squad, rounds off today a truly brilliant season, arguably the best, for the Movistar Team in its four-decade trajectory, undoubtedly the most consistent under Telefónica's title sponsorship. A year where Castroviejo offered a decisive contribution with his title in Plumelec; his massive help for Nairo Quintana towards glory in the Vuelta; and a medal today with confirms him as one of the best rouleurs in the planet.

Jonathan Castroviejo: "This time it was really to be! I got to keep my pace well over the whole course; obviously you had to lose a bit of speed in the finale due to the long effort, but I felt like riders were going to start off a bit too fast and decided to try and save some energy. The heat and humidity took its toll on all riders and, fortunately, didn't affect me that much today. Obviously, this wasn't a course really suiting me well, but I've got to keep a consistent level lately in all terrains, whether it's a flat TT or a hilly one. This bronze medal really makes me confident for the future. If I've been able to get bronze in such a course and chase good results in such different distances and terrains - 2nd in the Vuelta, 2nd in Poland, the European gold - then we might be able to go for gold someday? Well, who knows. Next year, in Norway, we've got an uphill finish. I hope to have an easier season than this one and get closer to the top. For the time being, I'm super happy with what I got today - it was really hard to get going after my injury in February and the recovery process I had to go through."

Maciej Bodnar was fourth. Here's his Tinkoff's team update:

Polish national time trial champion, Maciej Bodnar was the first Tinkoff rider in action at the UCI World Championships in Doha this week, and the powerful Pole time trialled to an impressive fourth place in the individual TT. Having set the fastest time of the day with just five riders to come, it was going to be tight, but Maciej was eventually bumped off the podium by the final rider over the line.

Setting a time of 45’59” over the fast and relatively straight forward 40km time trial, Maciej put himself up there with the favourites for a medal. The top spot on the podium was put well out of reach by Tony Martin (Germany) who rode a 45” margin into his nearest rival, but Maciej eventually missed out on bronze by just six seconds.

The fourth place is his best ever world championships time trial result, bettering his eighth from last year in Richmond. Maciej will now turn his attention to the road race on Sunday, lining up for the Polish national team against several Tinkoff teammates, including reigning world champion Peter Sagan.

Maciej Bodnar

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