CYCLING WORLD ROAD CHAMPIONSHIPS:DAVID McCANN finished an excellent 11th in the Elite men's time trial at the World Road Championships in Mendrisio, Switzerland, yesterday, losing out on 10th by an extremely narrow margin.
The 36-year-old multiple Irish champion started too slowly and was unable to reclaim enough time before the end of the 49.8km test to finish higher.
He was three minutes 40.61 seconds behind a dominant Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland, and just 3.22 seconds off the 10th place achieved by defending champion Bert Grabsch.
“I am a bit disappointed,” he said. “I didn’t really pace it well. I had much too much left in the tank at the end.
“My warm-up was fine, I just didn’t push it hard enough soon enough. I was only 38th fastest at the first split, but I was fifth quickest for the second-last split. It feels bad finishing with fresh legs when you know you should be empty.”
McCann was caught for a minute by the American rider Tom Zirbel, who eventually finished fourth. Being passed appeared to shake him into action and he accelerated, eventually overtaking the American again.
“Zirbel caught me after two laps. I held him then passed him on the climb last time up, and put time into him! My legs were way too fresh. It’s frustrating – ‘three seconds outside the top 10’ doesn’t sound the same as top 10.”
Cancellara won the 2006 and 2007 championships, as well as last year’s Olympic time trial.
However, yesterday’s performance was his most dominant. Despite coasting in the final kilometres, raising his hand off the bars and soaking up the adulation of his home crowd, he beat Sweden’s Gustav Larsson by 1:27.13s.
Germany’s Tony Martin was third, 2:30.18 back.
“I did a big ride on a big course,” a delighted and emotional Cancellara said. “I’d like to thank this amazing crowd for their support.”
Next up are the road races for Elite women and under-23 riders.
Ireland has no qualified entrants in the latter, but Siobhán Dervan and Olivia Dillon will line out in the women’s race. Dervan was an excellent 24th last year and hopes that she can better that performance.
Dillon and Aaron Buggle competed in the women’s and Under-23 time trials on Wednesday, placing 33rd and 57th respectively.
The championships reach a climax on Sunday when the Elite men’s road race is held. Cancellara said he was confident despite a hilly course, and pledged to try to take the first road race and time trial double.
But Andy Schleck (Luxembourg), Damiano Cunego (Italy) and Vuelta a España winner Alejandro Valverde (Spain) are thought more likely to do well due to their climbing prowess.
Vuelta stage winner Philip Deignan is one of three Irishmen who will take part. He will be joined by Daniel Martin, who also completed the Vuelta last Sunday, and Nicolas Roche. The race will be a battle of attrition, but all three hope to be still in contention towards the end of the 262.2km contest.
In other news, Joe Barr was the winner of the first Race Around Ireland at the weekend. He was four hours 39 minute faster than Mark Pattinson, totalling 108 hours and 12 minutes for the gruelling, 1,350-mile ultra-endurance event.
Holger Roething took third.
Caroline Van Den Bulk won the women’s category, while Team No Prior Experience beat the An Post-sponsored Connacht quartet by over an hour in the four-person team race. Just Sweat No Tears and Bike Dock Belles were first in the two-person and women’s four-person categories.
Men's 49.8km time trial
1. Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Saxo Bank 57 mins 55 secs
2. Gustav Larsson (Swe) Saxo Bank +1.27
3. Tony Martin (Ger) Columbia +2.30
4. Tom Zirbel (US) Bissell +2.47
5. Marco Pinotti (Ita) Columbia +3.02
6. Janez Brajkovic (Sln) Astana +3.08
7. Koos Moerenhout (Neth) Rabobank +3.11
8. Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana +3.20
9. Ignatas Konovalovas (Lith) Cervelo +3.33
10. Bert Grabsch (Ger) Columbia +3.37
11. David McCann (Ire) Ride Sports +3.40
12. Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) +3.43
13. Lars Bak (Den) Saxo Bank +4.07
14. Dominique Cornu (Bel) Quick-Step +4.09
15. Svein Tuft (Can) Garmin +4.24
16. Lars Boom (Neth) Rabobank +4.24
17. Artem Ovechkin (Rus) +4.27
18. Chris Froome (Brit) Barloworld +4.34
19. Frantisek Rabon (Cze Rep) Columbia +4.39
20. Sebastian Lang (Ger) Silence Lotto +4.40
21. Bradley Wiggins (Brit) Garmin +4.50
