Rohan Dennis wins UCI World Championships elite men’s time trial taking over a minute out of Tom Dumoulin
Dumoulin edged into the silver medal position with just half a second advantage over third place
Rohan Dennis (Australia) won the UCI World Championships elite men's time trial, taking a staggering 81 seconds out of defending champion Tom Dumoulin of the Netherlands.
Dennis did away with the testing 52.5 kilometre course in Innsbruck in 1 hour 3 minutes 2 seconds, to earn ownership of the rainbow striped skinsuit for the year ahead.
His average speed of 49.6kph saw him pass two riders over the testing Austrian parcours, which included a 4.4km climb with peaks as steep as 14 per cent.
Dumoulin took the silver medal position, by a painstakingly slim margin of half a second, with european champion Victor Campenaerts completing the podium.
>>> UCI Road World Championships 2018: dates, route, where to watch and more
The best British rider was Alex Dowsett, 5-24 down on the new world champion in 29th, with 23-year Tao Geoghegan Hart 6-03 slower, taking 35th place.
How it happened
The course was the antithesis to a traditional test against the clock, its crowning feature a vicious climb with just 20km to go. The testing ascent was 4.4km long, with an average gradient of 7.1 per cent.
What goes up must come down, and the mountain feature of the TT was followed by a technical descent - before a rolling 7km to the finish.
The front runners for were Dutch defending champion, Tom Dumoulin, and Australian Rohan Dennis - the 28-year-old who won the 34.2km time trial stage at the Giro d'Italia ahead of Tony Martin (Katusha-Alpecin) and the world champion.
The checkpoints came at 16.6km, when riders were still on the flat part of the course, and at 35.2km - at the top of the climb.
The fastest of the early starters was Wilco Kelderman, the Dutch rider setting a benchmark of 1-07-23, with an average speed of 46km/h - winning him a place in the hotseat. It was Czech rider Jan Bárta who knocked him off the post, with Martin Toft Madsen (Netherlands) bettering them both at 1-06-25.
However, it became clear that with specialists like Tony Martin (Germany) and Campenaerts joining the course, plus the favourites Dennis and Dumoulin, that times were set to fall.
Once all of the riders were through the first check point, Dennis had the advantage - reaching the marker at 17-58. Dumoulin was 8s slower, with Martin at 14s and Campenaerts at 15s.
>>>
Madsen remained in the hotseat - but with his own 16.6km time check having been 18-45, it seemed unlikely that he'd remain in place.
Giro d'Italia general classification winner Dumoulin was expected to make up time on time trial expert Dennis on the climb, but when each had crested the ascent, Dennis had a time of 45-22, with the rainbow skinsuit of the Dutchman a full minute and one second back.
Campenaerts was next, 1-12 back with Michal Kwiatkowski (Poland) in fourth, 1-43 slower than the virtual leader.
Madsen was finally shifted out of the hotseat, with Parick Bevan (New Zealand) ousting him, followed by Nelson Oliveira in 1-5-16 whilst Martin later sandwiched between them to place second at the time.
None of them could stay seated for long - Kwiatkowski's time of 1-050-06 was bettered by that of Campenaerts, who clocked 1-04-14.
Dennis, however, was showing no signs of slowing down - his churning legs powering him to the line in 1-03-02 - well over a minute up on the man he shifted from the centre stage in the waiting area.
Meanwhile Dumoulin's advantage over Campenaerts was slipping, leaving his silver medal in doubt right up to the line, where he crossed a mere 0.53 seconds ahead of the Belgian.
Results
UCI World Championships elite men’s time trial (52.5km)
1. Rohan Dennis (AUS), in 1-03-02
2. Tom Dumoulin (NED), at 1-21-09
3. Victor Campenaerts (BEL), at 1-21-62
4. Michal Kwiatkowski (POL), at 2-04
5. Nelson Oliveira (POR), at 2-14
6. Jonathan Castroviejo (ESP), at 2-17
7. Tony Martin (GER), at 2-25
8. Patrick Bevin (NZL), at 2-34
9. Vasil Kiryienka (BLR), at 3-07
10. Martin Toft Madsen (DEN), at 3-23
Thank you for reading 20 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
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Michelle Arthurs-Brennan the Editor of Cycling Weekly website. An NCTJ qualified traditional journalist by trade, Michelle began her career working for local newspapers. She's worked within the cycling industry since 2012, and joined the Cycling Weekly team in 2017, having previously been Editor at Total Women's Cycling. Prior to welcoming her daughter in 2022, Michelle raced on the road, track, and in time trials, and still rides as much as she can - albeit a fair proportion indoors, for now.
-
Van der Poel the super-domestique and Matthews the nearly man: Five things we learned from Milano-San Remo 2024
From Philipsen’s first Monument victory to Pogačar’s Poggio attacks, this year’s edition of La Classicissima left us with a lot of talking points
By Joseph Lycett Published
-
My friend had warm urine squirted in his ear on the Alpe d’Huez - and it impresses people more than my national titles
When it comes to impressing people with his cycling exploits, Cycling Weekly's columnist finds that anecdotes trump achievements every time
By Michael Hutchinson Published
-
Annemiek van Vleuten to target Vuelta-Tour-Giro treble again next season
The Dutchwoman plans to retire at the end of 2023
By Tom Davidson Published
-
11 of the best photos from the 2022 Road World Championships
There were tears, hugs and kisses in Wollongong, Australia
By Tom Davidson Last updated
-
Remco Evenepoel goes long to win the men's World Championships road race solo after stinging attack
The young Belgian was clearly the strongest on the day, but others need to ask themselves how and why they let him go
By Jack Elton-Walters Last updated
-
Annemiek van Vleuten soars to victory in World Championships road race despite broken elbow
The Dutch rider took the second road world title of her career with late attack
By Tom Davidson Last updated
-
Zoe Bäckstedt retains junior road race title with stunning solo ride at World Championships
The Welsh rider celebrated her 18th birthday with a 58km solo attack and another rainbow jersey
By Tom Davidson Last updated
-
Julian Alaphilippe says he is 'not the sole leader' for France in the World Championships road race
The Frenchman played down his form in an interview with L'Équipe
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Tobias Foss shocks the favourites to win World Championships time trial
The Norwegian claimed the biggest win of his career, while Filippo Ganna finished in seventh
By Tom Davidson Last updated
-
Ellen van Dijk claims third time trial title at World Championships
The Dutchwoman won by almost 13 seconds ahead of Grace Brown
By Tom Davidson Last updated