Five things to watch out for in the 2017 Road World Championships time trials
The 2017 UCI Road Cycling World Championships kick off on Sunday with the time trial events. We pick out five things to watch out for in Bergen in the races against the clock
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

Can Team Sky replicate Grand Tour success in the Worlds Team Time Trial?
We’ve all seen how well Team Sky work together to win Grand Tours – the team’s collective strength was enough to leave all their rivals exasperated at the Tour de France and Vuelta a España this season.
The question this week is whether Sky can translate their performances in these races to the discipline of the team time trial.
While the British team has for a while now been clearly established as the best Grand Tour team in the world, the best they have managed in the team time trial world championship is a solitary bronze medal in 2013, while BMC and defending champions Quick-Step Floors have shared the five gold medals awarded since the event’s inauguration.
>>> Six things you need to know about the World Championships team time trials
Chris Froome will lead the line-up this year, joining many of the riders who he has worked so well with on the road this season, including Michal Kwiatkowski, Gianni Moscon and Geraint Thomas, plus former individual time trial world champion Vasil Kiryienka and young talent Owain Doull.
It’s a strong team that could threaten Quick-Step and BMC’s duopoly, but also look out for former silver medalists Orica-Scott and improving Team Sunweb and LottoNL-Jumbo line-ups.
Chris Froome bids for time trial supremacy
If there was one criticism that could be made of Chris Froome’s career, it was that his career success tended to be limited the Tour de France at the expense of other high-profile events.
His Vuelta victory this month has gone someway to redress that, and now he plans to expand his palmares even more with a world time trial title.
It won’t be easy, however. We all know how great a time triallist Froome is, but against the likes of Sky team-mate Vasil Kiryienka, defending champion Tony Martin and the favourite Tom Dumoulin - who have a more specialised background in this discipline and who will have shaped their training towards this race as a specific goal - he faces an up uphill challenge.
>>> UCI Road World Championships 2017: Latest news, reports and race info
Hope resides in the fact that historically, when Froome has targeted a time trial, he is capable of mixing it up with the best names - he won bronze medals in the time trials at both the 2012 and 2016 Olympics.
For the first time in a while Froome will enter a race without being overall favourite, but given how things have gone for him this season, it would be foolish to write him off.
Will Boels-Dolmans defend their title?
Boels-Dolmans last year capped of a season of complete dominance with the team landing a first ever world team time trial title.
Improved competition from other teams has meant the Dutch outfit hasn’t quite scaled those heights again, but they’ve still continued to be the most successful team in the peloton, spearheaded by WorldTour winner Anna van der Breggen and the teams several other stars.
>>> World Championships: Team time trials start lists
Many of those stars are on the long list to ride the team time trial, including Van der Breggen, Chantal Blaak, Megan Guarnier and Lizzie Deignan, although two of the key names in their title-winning line-up last year - Evelyn Stevens and Ellen van Dijk - have since moved on.
Boels-Dolmans are favourites having already won three team time trials this season, but they will face stern challenges from the likes of Van Dijk’s new team Sunweb and four-time winners Canyon-SRAM.
Dutch riders to compete for women’s time trial title
The Netherlands are expected to compete for plenty of medals in the time trials at the World Championships, as they boast three of the favourites for the women’s team time trial (Boels Dolmans, Sunweb and WM3 Pro Cycling), and the outright favourite for the men’s individual race (Tom Dumoulin).
The event in which the Dutch look most dominant, however, is the women’s individual time trial, in which all four of the riders representing them can hope to post competitive times.
The recently crowned European champion Ellen Van Dijk has enjoyed an excellent season and possesses a particular aptitude for time trials, and looks a good shout to improve upon her second place finish from last year and regain a title she last won in 2013.
>>> World Championships: Elite women’s time trial start list
Anna van der Breggen does not specialise against the clock the same way her compatriot does, but has been on such good form that she remains a threat to win the the title, while Annemiek Van Vleuten is on a hot streak of having won the last four time-trials she has lined-up in, and Lucinda Brand is also capable of a good time.
These Dutchwomen will come up against some strong opposition, including defending champion Amber Neben, but the safe bet would appear to be with one of them winning it.
The weather
More so than any other kind of road bike race, the outcome of a time trial can alter dramatically depending on the weather. If some riders enjoy more favourable conditions than others, the advantage gained can be enough to cause some big surprises.
>>> Severe weather and rider protest causes cancellation of Tour of Denmark stage (video)
So the forecasts predicting potentially rainy weather during the championships could prove crucial. If conditions are temperamental during any of the events, then being the best rider or team may not be itself enough to win the title – a substantial dose of luck may be necessary too.
The 2017 UCI Road World Championships take place in Bergen, Norway, over September 17-24 and comprise team time trial, individual time trial and road race events.
Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Stephen Puddicombe is a freelance journalist for Cycling Weekly, who regularly contributes to our World Tour racing coverage with race reports, news stories, interviews and features. Outside of cycling, he also enjoys writing about film and TV - but you won't find much of that content embedded into his CW articles.
-
-
Fan-first, gamified bike racing: the NCL readies for its debut as domestic teams get on board
Ever since the National Cycling League (NCL) announced its formation last fall, the big question has been: who will race in this all-new approach to American bike racing?
By Anne-Marije Rook • Published
-
Bradley Wiggins says he suffered ‘borderline rape’ during three years of 'abuse' by coach
Speaking on Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place podcast, Wiggins says he now “hates cycling” and only ever used the sport as a distraction
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Glasgow UCI World Championships bags Lidl partnership
Supermarket chain becomes official fresh food partner for the championships taking place in Glasgow in August
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
CW Live: Chris Froome targets return to 'top level'; UCI tightens ITT rules; Strava responds to price hike criticism; Topless protesters arrested at TDU; Tributes paid to Lieuwe Westra; Scott recalls 'cracking' bikes; Toon Aerts the PE teacher
The latest news in the world of cycling
By Tom Davidson • Last updated
-
CW LIVE: Wout van Aert and Shirin van Anrooij win cyclo-cross in Koksijde; Rapha unveil EF Education kits; Police search for two suspects in Mark Cavendish robbery; Paris-Nice route announced; Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas to ride Tour Down Under
All the latest in the world of cycling
By Tom Davidson • Last updated
-
Tweets of the week: Chris Froome has GoPro problems, and Geraint Thomas grits roads
It might be cold outside, but these hot posts should keep you warm
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Ukrainian cyclist disqualified from World Championships after blood sample result
Mykhaylo Kononenko's blood sample revealed the presence of the banned substance tramadol
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
How many calories do you burn winning the World Championship road race?
It’s the equivalent of six margherita pizzas, according to Remco Evenepoel's Strava data
By Tom Davidson • Last updated
-
Don’t expect too much from Zoe Bäckstedt, says teenager’s British Cycling coach
Junior academy coach Emma Trott has warned against piling pressure on the 18-year-old
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
Sky high heart rates and sleepless nights: What it's like to be the parents of a World Champion
Thousands of miles from Wollongong, the parents of Britain’s new time trial world champions battled their nerves
By Tom Davidson • Published