The elite riders will tackle the same 38k ITT as the U23s. Last year Würtz snapped Phinney’s 3 year winning streak. This year the Dane is the favorite to start his own streak.
Guillermo Andres Beltran is the first of 48 riders down the start ramp. He really is not a very good time trialist, so that is the last we will hear from him.
Since Ireland have two really strong contenders, Mullen, is the first top gun on the course. He easily passes his minute man – Karnulin, as they race along the loch. At the finish Mullen’s time is 43’40, that is 13 seconds better than the prior leader Kmieliauskas. The Lithuanian will be hoping one day to add a senior title to his two U23 titles, but it won’t be this year.
Bjerg is the next home, he is 4 seconds slower than Mullen, 2nd for now.
With 30 riders finished the top of the leader board looks like this:
Paillot (7th) and Cataford (6th) both put up solid times.
Mano takes over 4th (+0’13)
Lammertink moves into 5th, +0’15 and Beniusis 6th, +0’19
Ganna is the next man on the course. He was 9 seconds up on Mullen at the time check but finishes 7 seconds behind at the end. Only 3rd on the day behind Mullen and Bjerg.
Sütterlin does the opposite, 30 seconds down at the check he closes to 16 seconds at the finish, still not a great day for him, provisional 7th.
Gonzalez Salas is the next rider, he was 8 seconds down at the check. He finishes 13th, 26 seconds down.
Bernal is another who struggled in the first half, losing 21 seconds to Mullen.
He can’t quite make it up and finishes 4 seconds down, 2nd place, ahead of Bjerg on fractrions.
Howson next, then we move into the top favorites. Howson also had a really poor first half (+0’32 to Mullen) and he ends the day in provisional 7th, +0’14.
Phinney would love to pull off an upset and take another title. He rode a much better first half, 5 seconds better than Mullen.
Zmorka is next on the road, he was 11 seconds better than Mullen in the first half.
Phinney holds the edge to the finish and is the new leader but his dreams are quickly crushed as Zmorka comes home 2 seconds faster.
Dunbar in to the home stretch now, he was 3 second better than Zmorka at the split but 6 seconds slower than the defending champion, who is the last man on the road.
Dunbar gains another second on Zmorka at the finish to take the hot seat but he will need a bad 2nd half from Würtz to get the title.
Würtz looks focused as he rides away from the loch towards the finish.
Würtz is still the world champion, he finishes in 43’14, 11 seconds up on Dunbar.
