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World Championships - CM
Verona, Italy, September 27-October 3, 2004
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Race 5 - Wednesday September 29: Time Trial - Elite Men, 46.75km
Mick makes it real this time
Rich rocks to silver, Vino good for bronze
By Tim Maloney, European Editor
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On Wednesday morning in Verona, Australian Michael Rogers was awarded his gold medal as 2003 Elite World TT champion by the UCI, but wasn't that excited about winning it due to the doping disqualification of David Millar. Although Rogers did wear his rainbow jersey in the GP des Nations TT earlier this month, it wasn't his choice. "I'm hoping to go away with another one instead," he said. "Last year's experience is a big motivation for me. I think it is certainly possible to do it."
After his disappointment at the Olympics where he finished fourth, Rogers picked himself up and decided to focus full-stop on winning the Elite TT in Bardolino. The Quick.Step man, who lives near Milano, really did his homework and rode the course numerous times before today's race. After a superb ride today in Bardolino, the Aussie took his second consecutive World Championship by a wide margin over massive German TT specialist Michael Rich, who took the silver medal with a tremendous ride over the final half of the race, and classy rider from Kazakhstan Alex Vinokourov, who hung on for the bronze.
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"It's an incredible feeling to win here in Italy; it's my second home and it's fantastic." Surrounded by his loudly cheering Italian fan club with their own kangaroo mascot Skippy, Rogers hugged his fiancée Alessia, who he will marry in October. "We knew Mick was one of the favourites and were hoping he would win," gushed the delighted Alessia after the race. After his special moment on the podium when he donned the rainbow jersey to the strains of Advance Australia Fair, a clearly over the moon Rogers said, "I prepared so well and trained so hard for this race... it's what I had hoped for. Today I was the best in the world."
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Just missing the podium by nine seconds was 195cm Swede Gustav Erik Larsson, who just turned 24 last week. The ex-mountain biker, who was signed to the Fassa Bortolo team through ex-Bianchi pro Tommy Prim, was a big surprise today and almost pulled off a medal winning performance. Larsson explained that, "I really didn't expect this result today. I felt great and the course was perfect for me. I could always kept the same rhythm and my legs felt good all the time."
American TT champ David Zabriskie had a good ride today. Zabriskie, who won a stage in the Vuelta earlier this month with a massive solo break was in the hunt for the medals until the final part of the race, but the USPS-Berry Floor man may have felt the fatigue of the Vuelta in his legs and faded to a respectable fifth at the finish.
How it unfolded
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On a hazy fall afternoon along the eastern shores of Lake Garda among the vineyards of Bardolino, the Elite Men raced for the World TT championships on a winding, nervous course of 46.75 km that climbed east from the lakeside village of Garda, up the initial 3 km climb to Costermano after 6.3 km, up to the highest point of the course at Pazzon after 14 km, then rolled through the Garda hinterlands for 28 km before descending down and back along the eastern shore of Lake Garda for the final kilometres to the finish in Garda. Without Olympic Champion Tyler Hamilton (USA), Jan Ullrich (Ger), Lance Armstrong (USA), Slava Ekimov (Rus), Bobby Julich (USA), Serguei Gonchar (Ukr) and last year's disgraced for doping TT champion David Millar (GBr), this year's Elite Men's World TT championship didn't have the best possible array of protagonists. But Mick Rogers, Germans Michael Rich and Uwe Peschel, Alex Vinokourov, Fabian Cancellara and Victor Hugo Peña were all good possibilities for the title.
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The early fast time at the Costermano (km 6.3) was set by Polish rider Niemec, who races on the Italian TT3 team Miche, until Italian Marzio Bruseghin went under his time by less than a second. No-one could beat the Azzuro until US TT champion Dave Zabriskie came through fastest with an excellent 9'56.13, showing early on that the American was a serious medal threat. 36 year-old German TT specialist Uwe Peschel squeaked ahead of Zabriskie by half a second. TDF prologue winner Cancellara was 0'17 behind the leaders at the first time check atop the climb in Costermano. Then Alex Vinokourov blasted through the first time check in 9'44.26, but the challenge for Vino (who was using special Harmonic chainrings like his friend Bobby Julich used in the Olympics) would be to hold off the rouleurs like Rich, Peschel and Rogers. The Aussie came through under 10'00, (9'56.52), a good time that put the Canberra man in striking distance of the gold medal.
Atop the next climb at Campara at the second time check after 27.1 km, Niemec was fast early with 36'17, but he was bested by Italian Peron (36'10), then giant Swede Larsson Italian (35'24). Bruseghin moved into the lead with 35'19, after which it was Zabriskie's turn (35'16), who had gained 0'02 on the Italian in the 14 km between the two checks. Peschel also lost time to Zabriskie and Bruseghin at the Campara split. The next fast time was from Vinokourov, who posted a 35'10.90, but the Kazakh's standard only lasted a few minutes until Mick Rogers blasted through with a super time of 34'39, more than half a minute better. Rogers had gained 0'41 on Vino between the first and second time checks and was clearly on the best ride of the day.
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Larsson's fast time of 59'04 at the finish was holding up, with both Bruseghin and Zabriskie failing by seconds to get by the huge Swede and get under 59 minutes. Vino was the first to do so with 58'55, 9 seconds faster than Larsson, but then German TT monster Rich bested the Kazakh with 58'42. But less than 20 seconds later, there was nothing to do when the irresistible, incredible Mick Rogers streaked over the finish line with his right hand raised in victory in 57'30.12 for an average speed of 48.781 km/h, fully one minute and twelve seconds ahead of the second placed rider.
Rogers' win today was Australia's first ever (on the day) in a World Elite Road Championship, and this time he could celebrate it for real.
Photography
Images by AFP Photo
- Michael Rogers (Australia) sets off with 100 percent focus
- Michael Rich (Germany) checks his HUD
- Michael Rich (Germany) powers out of the start house
- Alexandre Vinokourov (Kazakhstan) contemplates his ride
- Gustav Larsson (Sweden) leaves the start house
- Marzio Bruseghin (Italy) sets off, looking mean
- Bert Roesems (Belgium) looking forward to his ride
- Eddy Seigneur (France) showed that he still has it, with a 14th place
- Gustav Larsson (Sweden) crosses the line with the best time
- Alexandre Vinokourov (Kazakhstan) fighting hard in the final metres
- Michael Rich (Germany) powering home to second place
- Michael Rogers (Australia) celebrates his victory across the line
- Michael Rogers (Australia) gets a hug from fiancee Alessia
- Michael Rogers (Australia) can really celebrate on the podium this time
Images by Fotoreporter Sirotti
- The view from the start house after four or five beers
- Lots of people gathered on the climbs to cheer the riders on
- Svein Tuft (Canada) rides up the climb
- Andrea Peron (Italy) performed well to finish 11th
- Marzio Bruseghin (Italy) had a good ride to finish under the hour
- Marzio Bruseghin (Italy) was Italy's best rider in sixth
- Italian coach Franco Ballerini wonders how his ragazzi are doing
- Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland) puts the power down
- Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland) did not have one of his better rides, finishing 8th
- Brad McGee (Australia) in TT mode
- Brad McGee (Australia) started well, but faded in the second half to finish 25th
- Isidro Nozal (Spain) has not recovered from the Vuelta, and finished 34th
- Bart Voskamp (Netherlands) sets off. He was later disqualified for drafting Gustav Larsson.
- Alexandre Vinokourov (Kazakhstan) climbing the hill
- Alexandre Vinokourov (Kazakhstan) had the best time at the first check
- Michael Rich (Germany) comes up the hill
- Michael Rich (Germany) giving it full gas
- Michael Rogers (Australia) setting off
- Michael Rogers (Australia) climbing steadily
- Michael Rogers (Australia) clicks it into another gear
- Michael Rogers (Australia) powers towards the finish through the crowds
- Michael Rogers (Australia) punches the air as he crosses the line
- The podium girls get ready for another ceremony
- The winners stand on the podium next to Lake Garda
- The three winners salute from the podium
- The Aussie flag flying high
- Alexandre Vinokourov (Kazakhstan) looks reasonably happy to be on the podium at the World's
- Michael Rich (Germany) on the podium with his silver medal
- Michael Rogers (Australia) feels what it's really like to be World Champion
- Michael Rogers (Australia) has been looking forward to this
- Michael Rogers (Australia) shows off his gold
- Michael Rogers (Australia) kisses his medal
- The Spanish contingent on Wednesday evening included Indurain, Valverde, Astarloa, Freire and Olano
- Valverde and Astarloa discuss matters of import
- Valverde, Astarloa and Freire are the core of the Spanish team
Images by Shane Stokes/irishcycling.com
- Michael Rogers (Australia) after setting off
- Michael Rich (Germany) shortly after the start
- Michael Rogers (Australia) waits on the podium
- Michael Rogers (Australia) salutes from the podium
- Michael Rogers (Australia) shows off his medal, while Vinokourov looks on
- Alexandre Vinokourov (Kazakhstan) on the podium with his bronze medal
- A happy podium: Michael Rich (2nd), Michael Rogers (1st) and Alexandre Vinokourov (3rd)
Images by Mitch Friedman Photography
- Denis Shkarpeta (Uzb) was the first rider out on the course of the 47 riders. He finished in 37th spot.
- Irish rider David O'Loughin finished in 38th place
- Raivis Belohvosciks (Lat) waits to start in the start house
- David McCann was Ireland's top rider in 15th
- Tom Danielson (USA) waits
- McGee thinks darn it I broke it, how am I going to warm up now?
- Bradley McGee (Aus) with 5 seconds left to go before he is off. He finished in 25th place.
- USA's Tom Danielson warms up
- Tom Danielson of the USA waits to start.
- Tom Danielson (USA) starts out. He finished in 35th place.
- Danielson goes into the photographers and crowd.
- Italy's top rider in 6th place was Marzio Bruseghin
- Joost Posthuma (Ned) sticks out his tongue at the start
- Top USA rider David Zabriskie was in third spot for a while and finished 5th overall
- Hungary's Laszlo Bodrogi at the start. He finished in 20th place.
- Czech rider Michal Hrazdira at the start. He ended up 30th.
- Marc Wauters was Belgium's top rider in 7th.
- USPS rider normally, Victor Hugo Peña is riding for his country Colombia
- Peña sticks out his tongue
- Michael Rogers (Australia) warming up
- Michael Rogers at the start of his gold medal winning ride.
- Rogers at the start going for gold
- Michael Rich of Germany at the start. He finished up second, after being the second last rider off.
- Kazakhstan's Alexandre Vinokourov takes off to a third overall, the same as where he started today.
- Arm in the air Rogers Knows he is the World Champion!
- Signs for Rogers
- Rogers kisses the Gold medal
- Hugs all round with Mick Rogers
- Rogers is the new World Champ for real this time after the David Millar ban.
- Top thee (L to R): Michael Rich (Ger, 2nd), Michael Rogers (Aus, 1st), Alexander Vinokourov (Kaz, 3rd)
Results
1 Michael Rogers (Australia) 57.30.12 (48.78 km/h) 2 Michael Rich (Germany) 1.12.43 3 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kazakhstan) 1.25.04 4 Gustav Erik Larsson (Sweden) 1.34.47 5 David Zabriskie (USA) 1.36.86 6 Marzio Bruseghin (Italy) 1.37.26 7 Marc Wauters (Belgium) 1.56.33 8 Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland) 2.10.67 9 José Ivan Gutierrez Palacios (Spain) 2.23.12 10 Uwe Peschel (Germany) 2.28.75 11 Andrea Peron (Italy) 2.32.03 12 Brian Vandborg (Denmark) 2.34.87 13 Bert Roesems (Belgium) 2.36.17 14 Eddy Seigneur (France) 2.41.66 15 David McCann (Ireland) 2.44.82 16 Przemyslaw Niemec (Poland) 2.59.58 17 Dmitri Semov (Russia) 3.05.75 18 Ivaïlo Gabrovski (Bulgaria) 3.16.39 19 Sergiy Matveyev (Ukraine) 3.38.99 20 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hungary) 3.40.47 21 Frédéric Finot (France) 3.42.63 22 Eric Wohlberg (Canada) 3.48.56 23 Joost Posthuma (Netherlands) 3.50.03 24 Ruslan Ivanov (Moldavia) 3.54.66 25 Bradley McGee (Australia) 4.08.28 26 Ivan Ramiro Parra Pinto (Colombia) 4.11.82 27 Jean Nuttli (Switzerland) 4.15.61 28 Michael Blaudzun (Denmark) 4.19.56 29 Victor Hugo Pena Grisales (Colombia) 4.22.63 30 Michal Hrazdira (Czech Republic) 4.24.12 31 Marcus Ljungqvist (Sweden) 4.27.73 32 Svein Tuft (Canada) 4.46.73 33 Gregor Gazvoda (Slovenia) 4.57.56 34 Isidro Nozal Vega (Spain) 5.02.64 35 Tom Danielson (USA) 5.06.21 36 Benoît Joachim (Luxembourg) 5.07.68 37 Denis Shkarpeta (Uzbekistan) 5.31.26 38 David O'Loughlin (Ireland) 5.32.24 39 Oleg Zhukov (Russia) 5.45.49 40 Yuriy Krivtsov (Ukraine) 5.48.08 41 Raivis Belohvosciks (Latvia) 5.57.77 42 Krzysztof Ciesielski (Poland) 6.07.43 43 Martin Prazdnovsky (Slovakia) 6.48.92 44 Csaba Szekeres (Hungary) 7.19.98 45 Rafael Nuritdinov (Uzbekistan) 7.52.57 46 Dean Podgornik (Slovenia) 8.33.77 DSQ Bart Voskamp (Netherlands) Intermediate timing km 6.3 1 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kazakhstan) 9.44.26 2 Uwe Peschel (Germany) 0.11.37 3 David Zabriskie (USA) 0.11.87 4 Michael Rogers (Australia) 0.12.19 5 Marzio Bruseghin (Italy) 0.13.72 6 Przemyslaw Niemec (Poland) 0.14.03 7 Gustav Erik Larsson (Sweden) 0.15.85 8 José Ivan Gutierrez Palacios (Spain) 0.18.60 9 Bradley McGee (Australia) 0.21.45 10 Eddy Seigneur (France) 0.21.66 11 Ruslan Ivanov (Moldavia) 0.23.31 12 Ivaïlo Gabrovski (Bulgaria) 0.24.34 13 Marc Wauters (Belgium) 0.26.13 14 Bert Roesems (Belgium) 0.26.50 15 Ivan Ramiro Parra Pinto (Colombia) 0.28.77 16 Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland) 0.29.07 17 Victor Hugo Pena Grisales (Colombia) 0.29.49 18 Eric Wohlberg (Canada) 0.29.69 19 Michael Rich (Germany) 0.29.72 20 Andrea Peron (Italy) 0.30.79 21 Jean Nuttli (Switzerland) 0.31.44 22 Tom Danielson (USA) 0.34.19 23 Joost Posthuma (Netherlands) 0.34.40 24 Brian Vandborg (Denmark) 0.34.57 25 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hungary) 0.35.42 26 Michael Blaudzun (Denmark) 0.35.75 27 Frédéric Finot (France) 0.36.43 28 Dmitri Semov (Russia) 0.37.28 29 Krzysztof Ciesielski (Poland) 0.38.30 30 Oleg Zhukov (Russia) 0.40.76 31 David O'Loughlin (Ireland) 0.41.28 32 David McCann (Ireland) 0.44.34 33 Gregor Gazvoda (Slovenia) 0.45.22 34 Denis Shkarpeta (Uzbekistan) 0.45.32 35 Svein Tuft (Canada) 0.45.52 36 Benoît Joachim (Luxembourg) 0.45.53 37 Michal Hrazdira (Czech Republic) 0.46.58 38 Yuriy Krivtsov (Ukraine) 0.49.99 39 Isidro Nozal Vega (Spain) 0.52.33 40 Martin Prazdnovsky (Slovakia) 0.53.29 41 Sergiy Matveyev (Ukraine) 0.53.35 42 Csaba Szekeres (Hungary) 0.54.57 43 Marcus Ljungqvist (Sweden) 0.56.14 44 Raivis Belohvosciks (Latvia) 1.00.52 45 Dean Podgornik (Slovenia) 1.04.87 46 Rafael Nuritdinov (Uzbekistan) 1.05.72 km 27.1 1 Michael Rogers (Australia) 34.39.01 2 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kazakhstan) 0.31.89 3 David Zabriskie (USA) 0.37.59 4 Marzio Bruseghin (Italy) 0.40.63 5 Gustav Erik Larsson (Sweden) 0.44.73 6 Michael Rich (Germany) 0.47.72 7 Uwe Peschel (Germany) 0.54.40 8 Marc Wauters (Belgium) 0.56.58 9 José Ivan Gutierrez Palacios (Spain) 1.10.66 10 Bert Roesems (Belgium) 1.15.61 11 Eddy Seigneur (France) 1.21.94 12 Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland) 1.23.76 13 Andrea Peron (Italy) 1.31.00 14 Przemyslaw Niemec (Poland) 1.38.27 15 Ivaïlo Gabrovski (Bulgaria) 1.45.54 16 Brian Vandborg (Denmark) 1.50.15 17 Victor Hugo Pena Grisales (Colombia) 1.59.19 18 David McCann (Ireland) 2.01.84 19 Bradley McGee (Australia) 2.04.16 20 Dmitri Semov (Russia) 2.04.56 21 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hungary) 2.06.26 22 Eric Wohlberg (Canada) 2.08.25 23 Michael Blaudzun (Denmark) 2.09.30 24 Sergiy Matveyev (Ukraine) 2.11.10 25 Frédéric Finot (France) 2.11.27 26 Ruslan Ivanov (Moldavia) 2.13.22 27 Jean Nuttli (Switzerland) 2.21.83 28 Michal Hrazdira (Czech Republic) 2.27.58 29 Joost Posthuma (Netherlands) 2.34.64 30 Isidro Nozal Vega (Spain) 2.37.10 31 Ivan Ramiro Parra Pinto (Colombia) 2.42.09 32 Svein Tuft (Canada) 2.43.01 33 Gregor Gazvoda (Slovenia) 2.43.43 34 Tom Danielson (USA) 2.44.43 35 Yuriy Krivtsov (Ukraine) 2.48.73 36 Benoît Joachim (Luxembourg) 2.55.95 37 Marcus Ljungqvist (Sweden) 2.57.20 38 David O'Loughlin (Ireland) 3.03.27 39 Denis Shkarpeta (Uzbekistan) 3.13.98 40 Krzysztof Ciesielski (Poland) 3.14.92 41 Oleg Zhukov (Russia) 3.25.92 42 Raivis Belohvosciks (Latvia) 3.47.88 43 Csaba Szekeres (Hungary) 3.48.66 44 Martin Prazdnovsky (Slovakia) 4.12.74 45 Rafael Nuritdinov (Uzbekistan) 4.17.53 46 Dean Podgornik (Slovenia) 4.32.05
