Defending champion Tony Martin showed he is still the man to beat in races against the clock, dominating yesterday’s elite time trial in Florence to take his third consecutive world championship title in the discipline.
Martin averaged well over 50kph on the 57.86km course, turning a massive gear and finishing well ahead of his challengers. He beat second-placed Britain's Bradley Wiggins by 46.09 seconds and Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland) by 48.34.
Cancellera's record
In doing so, he closed in on Cancellara's record of four TT championship wins.
“It’s the same podium as in 2011, but this time there was much more pressure on me,” said Martin, referring to his first championship win.
“Pressure doesn’t scare me though, on the contrary, it motivates me.”
The victory was his second gold medal in four days, with the German also part of the victorious Omega Pharma Quick Step squad in Sunday’s team time trial.
“It was one hour of race ran on the limits. Luckily I had no problems and once I found out I was faster by 40 seconds, I just enjoyed the last kilometres,” he said.
Wiggins had said beforehand he was in the best time-trialling shape of his career but he was no match for Martin. Running third for much of the race, he managed to eke out a slight advantage over Cancellara at the end.
It was a satisfying day for Ireland’s sole entrant, Nicolas Roche. Previously a rider who didn’t thrive in races against the clock, he continued the improvement shown this year.
While the course was flatter than he would have liked, he finished 13th out of 77 riders, covering the course three minutes 13.35 seconds off the winning time.
“I am happy,” he said. “I had given myself high goals, trying to finish around that, 10th to 15th position. There was a bit of a challenge there but it worked out well. I’m pleased.”
In addition to now using a time trial bike regarded by many as the fastest in the business, he has also done a lot of work with the team on his position. He is now more aerodynamic on the bike and more stable, while also putting out good power figures.
Yesterday's showing, together with his sixth place in the Tarazona time trial in the Vuelta a España, illustrates how that work is paying off.
'Very motivating'
"Some days I was progressing and you can see it, other days I was making mistakes. But overall things have been going better and better and it is very motivating."
Roche took a career best Grand Tour finish earlier this month in the Vuelta a España and he will now hope to ride strongly in the road race on Sunday.
He and first cousin Dan Martin will headline an Irish team that will be supported by Matt Brammeier and Sam Bennett, a recent stage winner in the Tour of Britain.
The course is said to be the hardest in recent years and should suit both Roche and Martin.
"I am going to check it out tomorrow," sqaid Roche. "There was no point in doing it before now as the streets were full of traffic. I was focussing on the time trial and now I'll see about the road race."
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