Open de Suède Vargarda TTT - CDM

Sweden, August 1, 2008

World Cup Team Time Trial to offer final Beijing preparation

By Ben Atkins

The Women's World Cup remains in Sweden and the town of Vargarda for the return of the World Cup team time trial last held in 2006 in Denmark. The race was missing from the World Cup last year, after just one year, but returns as part of the Vargarda Bike Week.

If the race goes to form it should be a battle between the powerful squads of Team Columbia and Cervelo-Lifeforce; the former, which makes this event its speciality and the latter, which is filled with some of the World's best time triallists. For those riders who have not yet flown off to Beijing, this offers one last chance to hone their speed before the all-important Olympic races in just over a week's time.

The course is a rolling out and back course starting and finishing in the centre of Vargara with the turning point in the nearby town of Herrljunga. Temperatures are expected to be high – despite the 6:30pm start – and with very light winds the event should suit teams of powerful rouleurs.