World Championships - CM

Verona, Italy, September 27-October 3, 2004

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Race 2 - Monday September 27: Time Trial - Junior Men, 24.05km

Commentary by Hedwig Kröner and Jeff Jones

Complete live report

Live coverage starts: 12:30 CEST
Estimated finish time: 14:45 CEST

12:27 CEST
Welcome back to Cyclingnews' Live coverage of the 2004 World Championships in Italy. On the first race of today, the Junior Men will complete a distance of 24.05 kilometres, heading east from the start and finish in Bardolino (68m alt.), up to Cavalon Veronise (176m alt.) and out to the southernmost point and 'cima coppi' in Pastrengo (188m alt.). A gradual descent into Lazise (71m alt.) brings the chrono men back to the lakeside, where it's a flat ride back to Bardolino.

12:30 CEST
The Junior Men will ride in similar conditions as yesterday's Women. It's sunny and warm (23°C), a perfect day in Northern Italy.

12:34 CEST
The first rider to depart today, Jacques Janse Van Rensburg (South Africa), is on the parcours now. There are 1.5 minutes between the starters, and a time check at km 11.8.

12:39 CEST
Some of the riders don't have time trial equipment at their disposal and take the circuit on pretty regular road bikes.

The Juniors are warming up under tents, stretching and talking while about 10 riders have departed until now.

12:42 CEST
Tereza Hurikova, the new Junior TT champ as of yesterday, says Hello at the Czech camp, wishing them luck.

Waiting for the first intermediate timing.

12:45 CEST
Eric Boily (Canada) is next on the start ramp.

Jacques Janse Van Rensburg (South Africa) passes through the time check at 11.8 km with 16.59 at an average speed of 41.67 km/h.

12:50 CEST
Right after the start, the riders have to climb a hill about 100 m higher in altitude. It's not really a flat parcours, and the Junior Men need to plan out their effort over the whole distance.

12:53 CEST
Irishman Martin Munroe is on the start ramp in a green body suit. Leaving now, he is speeding right away.

12:56 CEST
Andrew Thompson from New Zealand is on the parcours now, as well as Adam Switters (USA).

13:00 CEST
Alexandr Pliuschin (Moldavia) is 0.39 faster at the first time check than Jacques Janse Van Rensburg (South Africa), who has reached the finish now after 32.15.

13:07 CEST
Ben Hermans (Belgium) is taking on the parcours. The Belgian was fifth at his National TT Championships.

13:09 CEST
The Italians are doing well: Manuele Boaro got to the time check after 16.56, second right now. He's giving it everything even in the descent.

13:14 CEST
Makkharashvili Archil (Georgia) is another rider to depart with a regular road bike with TT handlebars mounted on it. The wealthier National teams have absolute high tech material, the others don't.

13:15 CEST
Alexandr Pliuschin (Moldavia) has set a new time to beat at the finish: 30.58, 1.17 faster than the South African.

13:18 CEST
Eric Boily (Canada) gets in after 33.05, he is placed seventh right now.

13:25 CEST
Maxime Bouet (France) from Chambéry, second at his National TT Championship 2004 is leaving the start behind now.

The Italian Manuele Boaro is at the finish, 1.03 behind the Moldavian who still holds best time.

13:30 CEST
Second best time belongs to Zdenek Machac (Czech Republic) - he was hammering at the finish!

13:34 CEST
Stefan Schäfer (Germany) has caught Rodrick Muscat (Malta) who departed before him, and arrives at the time check with a new best: 16.16! He will be able to descend the hill quickly, and maybe even hold his lead until the finish. The German is 18 years old and quite tall: 1,90 metres.

13:40 CEST
Another Irishman is on the ramp: Ciaran Kelly.

Meanwhile, Ben Hermans (Belgium) has arrived at the finish second.

13:46 CEST
The Norvegian Edvald Boasson Hagen gets to the intermediate time check struggling with the climb. His coach in the car behind is shouting in support.

Stefan Schäfer is riding along the lakeshore to the finish, pushing hard.

13:50 CEST
Now Schäfer hammers away the last hundred meters towards the line, finishing 12 seconds faster than Alexandr Pliuschin!

13:54 CEST
Johan Lindgren (Sweden) and Rodrick Muscat (Malta) came into the finish together, separated by just 20 meters. Lindgren's time is 32'10, Muscat just over 33'40.

The French Maxime Bouet went really well too, finishing at third placing for the time being, with Rafaâ Chtioui (Tunisia) flying in just behind him.

13:56 CEST
Alessandro Carretti is cheered by the crowds at the start. The Italian has a hard time focusing on the parcours, as he's smiling for all his supporters' applause... Edwin Crossling (New Zealand) is up right behind him.

14:03 CEST
Alexander Slivkin (Russia) is moving fast towards the intermediate time check. He's swaying a little with his upper body, but looks strong. Sprinting up the last few hundred metres uphill, he gets fourth at km 11.8.

14:08 CEST
The Swede Viktor Renäng, bronze medal at the 2003 World's Junior TT, is starting right after Robert Gesink (Netherlands). Both could do really well here today.

14:10 CEST
Another fast rider is the American Chris Stockburger, who has also just started. The time to beat is still Stefan Schäfer's 30.45.

14:16 CEST
Irishman Ciaran Kelly gets in, but with 33.14 is far behind the future medallists times.

Patrick Gretsch from Germany has just passed Edwin Crossling (New Zealand) and established a new best time at the 11.8 km mark: 16.06! The Germans have good chances of getting on the podium today.

14:17 CEST
The last two riders are on the course now: Roman Kreuziger (Czech Republic), sixth in Hamilton last year and Simon Spilak (Slovenia), 10th in 2003.

14:19 CEST
Michael Schär from Switzerland is doing well too, passing the time check third.

The Aussie Harley Goss finishes after 32.05.

14:22 CEST
Gretsch's ride's smooth, his head is just over his hands as he's descending the climb. He's speeding! Grenäng is hammering up the climb behind him, mouth wide open.

14:27 CEST
Gretsch and the Swiss rider Schär both pedal with high cadences, unlike the Belgian Michiel Van Aelbroeck. Gretsch's position is very low.

14:30 CEST
Schär can see the Estonian Tanel Kangert in front of him, this will give him even more power.

Gretsch at the finish: 30.29!! Another German taking the lead!

14:34 CEST
Schär speeds towards the line: 30.46, the third placing right now.

The Czech Roman Kreuziger is on the descent from the climb now. Spilak, the last rider, already lost more than 30 seconds at km 11.8 - he will not be able to race for a podium place today.

14:38 CEST
Renäng, the Swede, is on the long straight back to Bardolino. He's going well, arriving on the finish line cobbles fifth.

14:41 CEST 12:27 CEST
Welcome back to Cyclingnews' Live coverage of the 2004 World Championships in Italy. On the first race of today, the Junior Men will complete a distance of 24.05 kilometres, heading east from the start and finish in Bardolino (68m alt.), up to Cavalon Veronise (176m alt.) and out to the southernmost point and 'cima coppi' in Pastrengo (188m alt.). A gradual descent into Lazise (71m alt.) brings the chrono men back to the lakeside, where it's a flat ride back to Bardolino.