 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
2002 Road World Championships - CM
Hasselt-Zolder, Belgium, October 8-13, 2002
Main Page Start list Course Map Results
Day 3- October 10: Elite Men Time Trial, 40km
Complete Live Report
Distance: 40.4km
Start: 14h00
Last arrival expected at: 16h52
Interval between riders: 2min
14:00 CEST
Welome to Hasselt for the final time trial event of the World Road Championships,
the elite men's time trial. Conditions are sunny and a little warmer than yesterday.
The wind is still present, mostly a cross/tailwind, but a headwind at certain
points along the course.
Starting in Hasselt the men ride over the same course as the Elite Women, Junior Men, and U23 Men yesterday, until they cross over the Albertkanaal at Stokrooi. Shortly after making the crossing, they turn right to head towards Zonhoven, doing a short rectangular loop before rejoining the "normal" course. They then head up the hill instead of turning into the finishing circuit they ride down Terlaemenlaan to do the same loop as the U23's. Once they come back to Zolder, they do a full lap of the 3.8 km circuit before finishing.
Overall, the course is more balanced than the other categories, although there should be more tailwind sections than headwind. First rider off is Igor Bonciucov (Moldavia) at 14:00 local time, and riders will depart at 2 minute intervals following him. Given that defending champion Jan Ullrich is absent, the last rider to start will be David Millar (GBr), second place in Lisbon, at 15:52 local time.
14:01 CEST
Bonciucov is off and we're underway. Next up is Benoît Joachim of Luxembourg.
14:18 CEST
Ten riders have started the course, including Great Britain's Stuart Dangerfield
and Canada's Roland Green.
There is no official time check until around half distance today. As they have been all week, the Dutch riders are wearing black armbands in memory of the Prince Claus, Prince Consort of the Netherlands who died last weekend.
14:26 CEST
Martin Cotar (Cro) has begun his ride, with American Chris Horner waiting in
the wings. Horner is off, next up is Australia's Nathan O'Neill.
14:32 CEST
Tiaan Kannemeyer is South Africa's first rider off the line, the second being
Robert Hunter who will start at 15:12. The breeze is blowing reasonably hard
at the start line, coming from the riders' right. Next off the line is 25 year
old Csaba Szekeres from Hungary.
14:35 CEST
Benoît Joachim is setting the pace at each of the intermediate time checks thus
far. Manuel Quinziato has just begun for Italy. Quinziato is not even 23 years
old, but after a 4th place in the Italian time trial championships, was selected
for this year's World's after Dario Frigo declined his invitation.
14:37 CEST
Benoît Joachim's US Postal teammate Steffen Kjaergaard (Norway) has begun his
ride, while out on the course Joachim's first intermediate split has been bettered
by Roland Green.
14:43 CEST
France's first rider off the line is Jacky Durand, second place in last weekend's
Paris-Tours. Durand said after that race that his long breakaways in races serve
as good training for the time trial. Next up, The Postal contingent continues
with reigning Olympic time trial champion Viatcheslav Ekimov of Russia.
14:48 CEST
The first Belgian, Bert Roesems, begins his ride on home soil. Ekimov is powering
along the course, while Roland Green still holds the best time at the first
two intermediate checks.
14:53 CEST
The first two finishers are in, as Igor Bonciucov (Moldavia) crosses the line,
followed by Joachim who immediately pushed Bonciucov into second. Nathan O'Neill
has taken the 4th best time at the first time check.
14:58 CEST
Great Britain's Dangerfield has set the new best time. Out on the course, Colombia's
Victor Hugo Pena is underway, and Quinziato has set a new time to beat at the
first check.
Best times come and go, as Roland Green comes in behind Dangerfield with a faster ride.It appears Green lost a little of his lunch as he crossed the line, too.
15:04 CEST
The big Swede Magnus Backstedt is out on the course, while Dylan Casey (USA)
begins his charge from the start house. Quinziato has set the new best time
at the second time check as well. The young Italian is on a good ride.
15:10 CEST
Tomasz Brozyna is out of the gate for Poland. Brozyna rode for iBanesto.com
this year, but will be leaving the team at the end of the season. Next off is
South African Robert Hunter.
15:14 CEST
Bert Roesems has set the new marker at the first time check, but the time gaps
are small, within a few seconds. Ekimov is on a good ride today as well. Thor
Hushovd begins next. Hushovd is a former gold medal winner (Valkenberg, espoirs),
as well as a stage winner in this year's Tour de France.
15:18 CEST
Chris Horner has come across the line for a provisional 5th place, 45"
back. As Roland Green holds the best time for the moment, his Canadian teammate
Eric Wohlberg has begun his ride.
Starting now is Evgeni Petrov of Russia. After Petrov, 17 riders are left to start.
15:22 CEST
Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano (Spain), certainly a contender for today's title,
begins his effort. Gonzalez de Galdeano had a premature exit from this year's
Vuelta, but has shown his time trialing prowess in numerous events, including
the first time trial of this year's Tour.
15:24 CEST
Just after Gonzalez de Galdeano passed under, an inflatable banner over the
road collapsed in the course. Lucky for the Spaniard to have been ahead of,
rather than behind. It was quickly removed from the course.
Manuel Quinziato has set the new best time for Italy.
15:26 CEST
The next Aussie to take the start is Michael Rogers, a noted time trialist.
Following Rogers will be another young Mapei rider, Filippo Pozzato of Italy.
15:30 CEST
Russia's Ekimov has caught Jacky Durand for two minutes on the course, while
Ekimov's Postal teammate Dylan Casey has passed through the first time check
in 12th place. Starting now is Raivis Belohvosciks of Latvia, who will be followed
by German time trial specialist Michael Rich. After Rich we get into the last
10 riders to start.
15:33 CEST
Ekimov has come across with a new best time, at an average speed of over 48km/h.
Jacky Durand comes in just behind.
15:36 CEST
Marc Wauters begins now for Belgium. Wauters carries the nickname Soldaat on
his bike, and should be quite motivated for today's race, having grown up in
the area. His start was a quick one. Next off is France's best hope for a top
ten, Christophe Moreau.
Bert Roesems (Belgium) has beaten Ekimov by less than one second at the finish.
15:42 CEST
Jean Nuttli begins his ride for Switzerland. Six riders left to start, with
Yuriy Krivtsov up next for the Ukraine. Krivtsov rides for Jean Delatour, and
finished third in last month's Grand Prix des Nations time trial, behind Uwe
Peschel and Laszlo Bodrogi.
15:44 CEST
The Kelme duo of Santiago Botero (Colombia) and Aitor Gonzalez (Spain) are up
next. Botero has the talent to win today, but had a lackluster Vuelta last month.
On the course, Michael Rich looks to be having a good ride.
Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano has set a convincing new time to beat at the first time check.
15:48 CEST
After his dominant performance in the final time trial of this year's Vuelta,
where he claimed the overall victory, Aitor Gonzalez is one of the heavy favorites
today. Meanwhile, Uwe Peschel, another big favorite, begins his ride two minutes
behind Gonzalez.
The final two riders to start will be Laszlo Bodrogi (Hungary) and David Millar (Great Britain).
15:52 CEST
David Millar is out of the gate, the last to start. Millar reportedly did not
ride for a week after his withdrawal from the Vuelta on the Angliru stage. He
commented before the race that he is not quite sure where his form will be today.
Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano has also passed through the second time check with the best time.
Food for thought: finishing times are measured in hundreths of a second, yet the start is still controlled by a guy holding a stopwatch and another guy holding the rider's bike.
15:54 CEST
Dylan Casey has come across the finish for a provisional 10th place. Gonzalez
de Galdeano, meanwhile, is the first rider to post an average speed over 50km/h.
Michael Rich is meeting expectations, and beat Gonzalez de Galdeano's first intermediate time by ten seconds.
16:00 CEST
Rich continues to set the fastest times, but by only 2 seconds at the next intermediate
check. Christophe Moreau of France is not having the greatest of rides, crossing
the first check in 13th place, 50" behind Rich.
Behind, Botero is powering along one of the false flats which seems to trouble a few of the riders.
16:06 CEST
Canada's Wohlberg has posted a good time, finishing just ahead of compatriot
Roland Green to take 5th place. At the second time check, Marc Wauters has registered
the 7th fastest time.
16:09 CEST
Botero is pushing a big gear, and has passed the first time check in 3rd place,
within reach of the leaders. Aitor Gonzalez is looking smooth.
Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano finishes his ride now, taking the fastest time by just under a minute and averaging over 50km/h.
16:12 CEST
Uwe Peschel is well off the pace at the first time check. He'll have to make
up some serious time to be in the medal hunt.
Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland) has just finished and taken a provisional second place.
16:16 CEST
Michael Rogers of Australia has just come across for second place. David Millar
is passing through the first time check, also off the pace. Millar takes 5th
place at the first check, over 20" back of Michael Rich.
16:20 CEST
Michael Rich has beaten Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano for a new best time. Rich
was fastest at each time check. If Botero picks up time in the second half of
the course, he may challenge Gonzalez de Galdeano's time as well. Aitor Gonzalez,
on the other hand, hasn't shown the fast times expected of him.
16:23 CEST
All of the riders are through the second time check, and David Millar has passed
through in 5th place, having made up 9" since the first check.
16:26 CEST
Local favorite Marc Wauters has finished in a fine 7th place, just edging out
his compatriot Bert Roesems.
Millar had a scare through a right-hand bend, taking a less than optimal line. No problems, though, and he's still in the hunt. Christophe Moreau is finishing over a minute behind the best time set by Rich. He's in 11th place for the moment.
16:29 CEST
Botero is challenging Rich, and has passed the last time check just over one
second ahead of the German.
16:32 CEST
Peschel won't make the podium today, but Botero is in with a real shot at victory.
He's laboring towards the finish, giving it everything he has... he's beaten
Rich by just over 8 seconds!
16:35 CEST
Millar can still make the podium, but Aitor Gonzalez is out of the running.
The Vuelta winner finishes in 4th place, pushing Michael Rogers to 5th.
Bodrogi doesn't look to be on pace to make the podium.
16:37 CEST
Peschel comes across the line to take 4th from Gonzalez, while on the course
behind David Millar is 24" behind Botero at the final time check. It's
not a done deal, but Botero's fortunes are looking good.
16:38 CEST
Bodrogi's across the line, the third rider in a row to take 4th place. Now,
can Millar make the podium?
Millar's taking the circuit like a formula 1 driver, cutting one corner through the sand on the inside. He's still upright, and fighting to the finish.
16:40 CEST
Millar's not able to make the podium, only mustering 6th place. So the final
podium will see Colombian Santiago Botero in the rainbow jersey, followed by
Rich with the silver medal, and Gonzalez de Galdeano taking the bronze.
Abelenlaan (20 km)
(all riders through)
1 Michael Rich 23.39
2 Igor González 0.10
3 Santiago Botero 0.12
4 Laszlo Bodrogi 0.20
5 David Millar 0.24
6 Fabian Cancellara 0.31
7 Michael Rogers 0.35
8 Raivis Belohvosciks 0.36
9 Filippo Pozzato 0.37
10 Marc Wauters 0.37
|
Sterrewacht (25.1 km) (all riders through) Michael Rich 29.48 Igor González 0.02 Santiago Botero 0.03 Laszlo Bodrogi 0.10 David Millar 0.14 Fabian Cancellara 0.33 Uwe Peschel 0.35 Michael Rogers 0.36 Bogdan Bondariew 0.38 Aitor González 0.40 |
Finish (40.4 km) (final) Santiago Botero (Col) 48:08.45 (50.35 kph) Michael Rich (Ger) 0:08.23 Igor González (Spa) 0:17.15 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun) 0:25.53 Uwe Peschel (Ger) 0:33.76 David Millar (GBr) 0:35.32 Aitor González (Spa) 1:04.03 Michael Rogers (Aus) 1:06.34 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) 1:07.81 Raivis Belohvosciks (Lat) 1:15.42 |
