If you're looking for an outsider to put your money on for tomorrow's time trial, look no further than Taylor Phinney. The 22-year-old American was fourth in Saturday's road race but has in fact been preparing for the time trial since the end of the Giro d'Italia in May.
"I know my form is good and I have really been working specifically for this," he said. "I know that if I have a really good ride I can be up there, and I am hungry from the road race. That's extra motivation."
"Fourth place in the road race is one of the more difficult places to get at the Olympic Games, and leaving the race with nothing after being so close to a medal."
Phinney won the prologue at the Giro to pull on the leader's pink jersey, but at 8.7km it can't be taken as too much of a form guide. In the 31.5km time trial final stage he was 16th, one minute 31 seconds down on winner Marco Pinotti. That was however the final day of his first ever grand Tour.
"I like the [Olympic] course, it's a good course for me, relatively flat, rolling. You know it is a little bit tricky finding your way, finding the right way through some of the roads. They are a little bit bumpy, but we are used to that. I think it is going to be really cool, the last couple of kilometres coming through Bushy Park. There will be a ton of people going round that pond and finishing up. It is going to be really, really special. I think it's a great course."
"I would love to get a medal tomorrow but I know it is a pretty big task with [Bradley} Wiggins, [Chris] Froome, Tony Martin and Fabian Cancellara. You know, older than me and more experienced. They've proved themselves in the past to be very, very good, obviously. But I am up-and-coming."
"The crowds in general, based on Saturday, have been really incredible. am hoping it is similarly loud for tomorrow. That makes our job more enjoyable when you have the energy and passion from the fans to feed off of"
Related links
Wiggins: Tour was perfect preparation for Olympic time trial
Men's Olympic time trial, who will win?
Cancellara in, Evans out of Men's time trial
