World Road Championships - CM

Salzburg, Austria, September 20-24, 2006

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Race 2 - September 21: Under 23 men's individual time trial, 39.54km

Live report

Live Commentary by Jeff Jones, with additional reporting from Nick Warren and Hedwig Kröner

Live coverage starts: 14:00 CEST
Estimated finish: 16:00 CEST

14:09 CEST
We're baaack! It's almost as if we'd never left, in fact. The U23 men's time trial is the second race on the program today, and will be run over 39.54 km. The first rider to leave is Andrey Zeits (Kazakhstan), followed by Peter Velits (Slovakia), but the real favourites are at the end, with Mark Jamieson (Australia) starting at 15:30:30, Dominique Cornu (Belgium) at 15:15, Lars Boom (Netherlands) at 15:18, Peter Latham (New Zealand) at 15:25:30, Dmytro Grabovskyy (Ukraine) at 15:28:30, and Mikhail Ignatiev (Russian Federation) at 15:30 as defending champ.

14:31 CEST
One of the favourites today, Pete Latham (New Zealand), told Cyclingnews before the start, "It's quite a tough course but I'm feeling quite strong. I'm riding a Wilson TT frame. It's not a full carbon but still lighter than most bikes."

14:35 CEST
Colombian Rigoberto Uran has the fastest time at the first checkpoint, followed by Branislau Samoilau (Blr) and Stefan Schäfer (Ger).

14:38 CEST
Russian Alexandr Filipov flies through the first check, six seconds better than Uran. He has the new best time.

14:46 CEST
There are lots of people around the course today, which is nice because the start/finish is downtown. Salzburg is a very touristy town of course, so plenty of people are taking a look at the racing before they check out Mozart's house or take the Sound of Music Tour.

14:48 CEST
At the second check, it's Stefan Schäfer (Germany) with a good ride in the middle section to put Branislau Samoilau (Belarus) in second place at 10 seconds.

14:55 CEST
Local favourite Stefan Denifl (Austria) starts his ride now, to a lot of applause from the crowd.

15:02 CEST
Rigoberto Uran comes into the finish with the top time, while Alexander Filipov (Russia) has reached the second time check six seconds better than previous best Stefan Schäfer (Germany).

15:09 CEST
Uran doesn't stay on top for long, as Polish rider Mateusz Taciak comes home six seconds quicker. Then Schäfer ends his ride, a little slower than the Pole, but still good enough for second.

15:16 CEST
The top three at the finish are now:

1 Alexander Filipov (Russia) 50.19
2 Stefan Schaefer (Germany) 0.26
3 Branislau Samoilau (Belarus) 1.02

Belgian Dominique Cornu is on his way next.

15:16 CEST
Shaun Higgerson, Australian U23 TT champ told Cyclingnews today, "I trained well, so I'm hoping for a good result. But in the time trial, you never know where
you're gonna end up. The course is not too technical - there are a couple of corners where you have to be careful, but that's it. It is a very hard course, though. You should definitely not overdo it in the first part, otherwise you'll blow up in the end."

15:17 CEST
Alex Rasmussen (Denmark), the 10th last rider, is ready for his 39 and a bit kilometres.

15:18 CEST
Salzburg is expecting 200,000 spectators for the World Championships, including 50,000 Italians. The city has been enjoying a bumper-party year, partly as a result of celebrations for the anniversary of Mozart's 250th birthday.

15:19 CEST
Luca Barla (Italy) is fifth at the first time check, followed by Martin Velits (Slovakia).

Dutchman Lars Boom is on his way as Maxim Belkov (Russia) drops his chain at the foot of the climb. Not good. That will cost him a lot of time.

15:21 CEST
Belkov would have done a good time too. He's still in the top 10 at km 10.1, but has lost at least 20 seconds.

15:24 CEST
Kristjan Koren (Slovenia) has done a cracking time after 10.1 km, easily surpassing the mark of Filipov in 14'17. That's moving.

15:27 CEST
Edvald Hagen Boasson (Norway), who took three Races in the Tour de l'Avenir, hopes that this race will build up his form again after he fell ill. "I'm also starting in the road race, where I hope to do something. I was ill after the Tour de l'Avenir, and did the Tour de la Somme without pressure. I hope I will be feeling good again on Saturday."

He is second at the first time check, so he's on track.

At the finish, Kiwi Logan Hutchings moves into third place provisionally with 50'53.

15:33 CEST
Cornu comes up the climb in a very good time - it's even better than Kristjan Koren, and puts him at the top of the table in 14'15.99. Lars Boom is also good in 14'49, but that's only sixth.

Mikhail Ignatiev (Russian Federation) is on his way...

15:34 CEST
Andrei Kunitski (Belarus) is at 10.1 km in 14'50 for seventh. That's about where he was last year.

15:36 CEST
Martin Mortensen (Denmark) is a little off the pace, in 15'04.

At the finish, it's still Filipov with the best time.

15:37 CEST
Shaun Higgerson (Australia) finishes his ride in 52'15 for 12th so far, an average of just over 45 km/h.

15:39 CEST
Belkov is at time check 2 in 33'51, eighth best. He hasn't really recovered after losing his chain on the first climb.

Jerome Coppel (France) is up in 14'31 for third, as Tony Martin reaches time check 2 in 33'46 for eighth.

15:41 CEST
Kristjan Koren (Slovenia) has slowed a little in the middle part, and is 3rd at the second check in 33'22. Not bad.

15:42 CEST
Latham is up to the 10.1 km check in 15'01, not that great a time.

Ignatiev is on his way up the climb, as Jos Van Emden nears the summit in 14'48.78.

15:43 CEST
Froome finishes in 53'00 for 16th. He crashed into a race marshal early on, which didn't help things.

Grabovskyy is at 10.1 km in 14'38 for fourth - a bit off the pace so far.

15:45 CEST
Hagen is past time check 2 in 33:15, improving to second place.

Ignatiev is not on a flyer, clocking 14'35 at 10.1 km for fourth. That will give Cornu hope.

15:46 CEST
The top five at km 10.1, with all riders through:

1 Dominique Cornu (Belgium) 14.15
2 Kristjan Koren (Slovenia) 0.02
3 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Norway) 0.06
4 Mikhail Ignatiev (Russian Federation) 0.20
5 Dmytro Grabovskyy (Ukraine) 0.23

15:47 CEST
Hagen is powering along towards the finish, while Cornu comes up to time check 2 in 32'18.64, number flapping a bit. But it's the fastest time by nearly a minute!

15:53 CEST
Lars Boom comes up to 23.7 km in 34'01, well out of the top 10. He's followed by Kunitski, in 33'35, now seventh fastest.

15:56 CEST
Belkov goes under the railway bridge near the finish, and ends in 51'11 for 5th. He passed Alexandr Pliuschkin (Moldova), who is right behind him at the end.

Spilak is at time check 2 in 33'17 for fourth, not bad. He sees Ignatiev fly past in the other direction.

15:59 CEST
Jerome Coppel (France) can't beat Cornu's impressive time at km 23.7, and has lost 35 seconds to the Belgian, but it's still good enough for second at the moment.

Meanwhile, Kristjan Koren (Slovenia) has had a shockah in the second half. He is slower than Filipov at the finish.

16:00 CEST
This morning Dominique Cornu told Belgian press that he felt good enough for a medal. He liked the course, which he described as being a course favouring the riders that liked to work hard. "To pull on the arms and to push hard with the legs," as he described it.

16:01 CEST
Edvald Boasson Hagen (Norway) finishes his ride in 50'41 for second, behind Russian Filipov. Cornu looks very good for the title today.

16:03 CEST
It's not going to be Grabovskyy. The Ukrainian is over a minute behind Cornu at km 23.7. Ignatiev is better, in 32'57 for third, but has already lost 39 seconds on Cornu.

16:04 CEST
Cornu flies to the finish, under the bridge and will do the best time. Most likely the gold medal time. 49'28 (47.9 km/h). Excellent time!

16:07 CEST
Alex Rasmussen (Denmark) is now at the end of his ride. His time is 51'07 for seventh.

Cornu is very tired at the finish, but quite happy with himself. He wasn't going off the others' time checks.

16:10 CEST
Perhaps the only rider who could threaten Cornu is Jerome Cornu, but the Frenchman has a massive task to overhaul the Belgian.

16:11 CEST
Kunitski is next to come home in 51'21. Good ride for a top 10 so far.

16:12 CEST
Martin Mortensen (Denmark) isn't going to threaten Cornu either. His final time is 51'14, a bit better than Kunitski.

16:13 CEST
Slovenian Simon Spilak is tired at the finish, but he'll have a decent time of 50'55 for sixth. Coppel is sprinting home now...

16:14 CEST
Coppel's time is good, but not for gold. 50'13 for second place, with four riders to finish. Dominique Cornu is still looking nervous in the hotseat, but he shouldn't be now.

16:16 CEST
Peter Latham (NZ) comes up to the finish, pursued by UCI commissaire Martin Bruin in the following car. Latham crosses the line in 50'57 for eighth best.

16:18 CEST
Grabovskyy still has two kilometres to go, while Van Emden is approaching the finish now. Both riders will be slower than Cornu.

16:19 CEST
Van Emden sprints for the line and ends in 51'35. He's lost 2'00 to Cornu, who is now guaranteed of silver.

16:20 CEST
Dmytro Grabovskyy (Ukraine) is at the finish in 51'17 and Ignatiev is not there yet, so Cornu is World Champion!!!

16:20 CEST
But Ignatiev has done a great ride anyway to finish in 50'05 for second! Coppel will take the bronze for France.

16:25 CEST
Well, Belgium has its first rainbow jersey of the 2006 world championships, with Dominique Cornu riding a fantastic race to finish in 49'28, averaging nearly 48 km/h on this testing course. Silver to Ignatiev, bronze to Coppel. Cornu is very proud at the finish, not believing that he has won.

Join us again tomorrow for more time trial action in the elite men's race, which will be run over 50.8 km. Wiedersehen!

Results

km 10.1 (all riders through)
 
1 Dominique Cornu (Belgium)                14.15
2 Kristjan Koren (Slovenia)                 0.02
3 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Norway)             0.06
4 Mikhail Ignatiev (Russian Federation)     0.20
5 Dmytro Grabovskyy (Ukraine)               0.23
 
Time check 2 - 23.7 km (all riders through)
 
1 Dominique Cornu (Belgium)                32.18
2 Jerome Coppel (France)                    0.35
3 Mikhail Ignatiev (Russian Federation)     0.39
4 Alexander Filippov (Russia)               0.54
5 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Norway)             0.57
 
Finish - km 39.5 km
 
1 Dominique Cornu (Belgium)                49.28
2 Mikhail Ignatiev (Russian Federation)     0.37
3 Jerome Coppel (France)                    0.45
4 Alexander Filippov (Russia)               0.51
5 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Norway)             1.13
6 Stefan Schaefer (Germany)                 1.20
7 Logan Hutchings (New Zealand)             1.25