Chris Froome refuses to set home and let an opportunity to become world champion in Bergen, Norway, pass by.
Team Sky’s star will represent Great Britain today in the individual time trial, on a course covers 31 kilometres and ends with a 3.4-kilometre climb.
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Froome just returned from Spain where he won the Vuelta a España to complete a double with this Tour de France victory in July. On Sunday, he helped Sky to a bronze medal in the team time trial.
“It’s not something I’ve trained specifically for,” Froome told the Telegraph. “I’ve come here off the back of the Tour and the Vuelta with whatever form I’ve got on that start line. And I’m up against guys who have focused the last few months of their season specifically one this.
“So it’s a tricky one. But at the same time I’d much rather be here and be giving it a shot, rather than being at home and wondering ‘what if?'”
German Tony Martin will defend his title and start last, with Froome beginning third to last, just before his top rival, Dutchman Tom Dumoulin.
Dumoulin won the Giro d’Italia and backed off to train specifically for the World Championships time trial and road race. He helped Sunweb to the team time trial gold medal already on Sunday.
Froome’s Grand Tour campaign saw him become the first rider to win the Tour/Vuelta double since Spain moved its race to the late summer date in 1995.
In the Vuelta, Froome won one summit finish stage and the time trial. The effort, however, could leave him without fuel in the tank.
“I’ve no expectations for Wednesday but if I could pull it off it would be magic, an incredible end to what has been an incredible season already.”
The only Brits to have won the time trial title are Chris Boardman in 1994 and Bradley Wiggins in 2014.
The Bergen course is forcing many top stars to plan a bike change before the summit finish. The time trial climbs 3.4 kilometres at an average of 9.1 per cent.
“I estimate you’d probably lose about 15 seconds in loss of momentum and getting on the bike again and getting back up to speed,” Froome said.
“Of course time trials can be lost by five or 10 seconds. So it could be decisive.”
