Four laps around Richmond would determine the world champion in the Junior Women’s road race.

 

The peloton waits to be called to the start line.

 

 

Wearing number 1, Denmark’s lone representative, Pernille Mathiesen.

 

 

 

 

Gold medalist and world champion in the time trial on Monday, Chloe Dygert smiles at the American flag.

 

Dygert puts on her game face just before the gun.

 

And they’re off!

 

 

Three laps to go and the field is together.

 

 

A group of 4–including Dygert and fellow American Emma White, Agnieszka Skalniak of Poland, and a French rider–establishes itself before hitting 2 laps to go.

 

Less than a minute later, a disorganized chase group follows.

 

Just 16km later, a solo Dygert sailed through the finish line to the sound of the clanging bell, signifying one remaining lap.

 

She had gained nearly a minute on her former break away companions.

 

Groups further back stood no chance of catching the chase, let alone Dygert.

 

 

To anyone who watched Dygert take more than a minute from her rivals at the time trial, it will come as no surprise to learn that she smashed the field at the road race and once again earned a rainbow jersey by more than sixty seconds.

 

Teammate Emma White comfortably sprinted to second place.

 

 

Agnieszka Skalniak earned bronze.

 

Japan’s Yumi Kajihara won the bunch sprint for forth place.

 

 

White was a happy runner up to her teammate and friend for the second time this week.

 

 

Dygertpulling on the rainbow hoops.

 

 

 

 

1st Chloe Dygert

2nd Emma White

3rd Agnieszka Skalniak

 

 

On this sunny Thursday morning, national teams had the opportunity to recon the road race course on closed roads. With weather forecasts predicting rain starting late Friday afternoon and continuing through Sunday, the course previewed this morning may radically differ from the one they compete on.

 

The Netherlands.

 

Australia rounds a corner.

 

Team USA.

 

Americans Tyler Farrar, Brent Bookwalter, Lawson Craddock, Alex Howes, Ben King, and Taylor Phinney.

 

Tayler Wiles hugs the corner.

 

Merhawi Kudus and Eritrea.

 

Winner Anacona.

 

Slovenia.

 

Cannondale Garmin teammates Dylan van Baarle of the Netherlands and Kristijan Koren of Slovenia.

 

Sweden.

 

Canada.

 

Denmark.

 

Daryl Impey.

 

Latvia super tucks on a descent.

 

Canadians Ryan Roth and Guillaume Boivin.

Ukraine.

 

Defending world champion Michal Kwiatkowski with Maciej Bodnar and Michal Golas.

 

Descending.

 

Ana Sanchis.

 

Luis Leon Sanchez, Ruben Plaza, and Juanjo Lobato.

 

Tom Boonen leads Belgium.

 

Matt Hayman on the front of Australia.

 

Chris Juul-Jenson with Denmark.

 

Adam Yates and GB.

 

Alex Dowsett.

 

Team USA.

 

Lithuanians Ramunas Navardauskas and Gedaminas Bagdonas ride with a pair of Americans.

 

Rui Costa and Portugal.

 

Coryn Rivera.

 

Slovenia.

 

France, Canada, and Denmark climb Governor Street, the last hill before the false flat into the finish.

 

Super tuck for Canada.

 

Sep Vanmarcke.

 

A Czech rider corners after a speedy descent.

 

Suitzerland descends.

 

 

An Australian rider and Jens Keukeleire wait for cars to pass before flying downhill.

 

Swiss riders Gregory Rast and Michael Albasini.

 

The 23rd Street climb is cobbled.

 

A Belgian rider records the climb.

 

Thailand.

 

Brake Through Media and other photographers position themselves to snap the riders.

 

Gatis Smukulis.

 

Merhawi Kudus.

 

 

 

Positioning will be key as the peloton hits the 23rd Street climb which suddenly changes from a wide and paved road to a narrow, cobbled climb.

 

 

USA.

 

Ramunas Navardauskas places a gentle hand on a young American to navigate him out of the way in order to pass.

 

 

Kanstantsin Siutsou.

 

Sep Vanmarcke and Peter Sagan.

 

Germany turns.

Four names had been repeatedly listed as the main contenders in the Elite Men’s TT at Richmond: Tony Martin, Tom Dumoulin, Rohan Dennis, and Taylor Phinney. Each one is a phenomenally strong time trialist in his own right, but with 8 of the top ten from 2014 and 2013 racing in Richmond, there were no guarantees.

 

Michael Hepburn.

 

Tobias Ludvigsson.

 

Aleksejs Saramotins.

 

Rein Taaramae.

 

Daniil Fominykh.

 

Ryan Roth.

 

 

 

 

Ilnur Zakarin.

 

Gedaminas Bagdonas.

 

 

 

Rasmus Quaade. Do yourself a favor and google this man’s mustache.

 

Romain Sicard.

 

Yves Lampaert.

 

The last man named to the American team for both the time trial and the road race, Lawson Craddock climbed up Governor Street to meet a hugely excited crowd.

 

Sam Bewley.

 

 

Stephen Cummings passed the Czech rider who began 90 seconds before him.

 

Peter Vakoc.

 

Marcin Bialoblocki passed Silvan Dillier and took 9th overall.

 

 

 

Luis Leon Sanchez.

 

Moreno Moser rounded out the top ten.

 

Luke Durbridge.

 

 

Konstantsin Siutsou.

 

Wilco Kelderman.

 

Nikias Arndt.

 

Macedonia’s Gorgi Popstefanov caught a glimpse of Uzbekistan’s Muradjan Halmuratov hot on his heels.

 

 

Guatemala’s Manuel Rodas Ochoa.

 

Serghei Tvetcov.

 

Gustav Larsson.

 

Gatis Smukulis.

 

Alexey Lutsenko.

 

Hugo Houle.

 

 

When you stand next to an Eritrean family who lose their minds with excitement upon seeing their countryman, Mekseb Debesay, ride by, you are happy to have caught a glimpse of anything at all between all of the flags waving! I probably enjoyed their reaction as much as I enjoyed the race.

 

Andriy Grivko.

 

Rigoberto Uran.

 

Andreas Vangstad.

 

Jerome Coppel is a good time trialist but he may have surprised even himself with his blazing time of 1:02:55, good enough to take over the hot seat.

 

Ramunas Navardauskas.

 

Jurgen Van Den Broeck.

 

Chris Juul-Jenson.

 

Given that he only returned to racing 8 weeks ago after a year and a half of healing from a broken leg, Taylor Phinney did well to place 12th overall. The crowd was happy just to see him and they cheered as if he was on his way to gold.

 

 

Jesse Sergent.

 

Nelson Oliveira.

 

Jan Barta.

 

Alex Dowsett.

 

Stefan Kueng.

 

Maciej Bodnar slotted in at 8th overall.

 

Jonathan Castroviejo was just 3 seconds behind Coppel and assumed the 2nd hot seat, hoping to remain on the podium as the biggest names were yet to come.

 

Adriano Malori immediately threatened Castroviejo’s podium hopes, smashing Coppel’s time by 17 seconds and assuming the lead.

 

Matthias Brandle.

 

 

Rohan Dennis had a rear puncture but even a quick bike change means lost time. Regardless of the mechanical, he was off the pace from early on and ended up in 6th place.

 

Vasil Kiryienka took bronze in 2012 and has flirted with–but not been on–the podium ever since. This year he has raced 10 individual TTs or prologues and since winning the rain soaked Giro d’Italia TT in May, he has finished no worse than 4th place in a TT. His streak, including winning the first European Games and the Belarusian TT championships, looked to continue today as he roared into the false flat finishing straight, stopping the clock at 1:02:29, 9 seconds better than Malori.

 

Tom Dumoulin, straight from a successful Vuelta a Espana with an injury in his buttocks and having ridden Sunday’s team time trial, didn’t look fresh today. He managed to finish 5th at 1:01 down on the Belarusian.

 

 

The last man on course had medaled in every TT World Championship since 2009, including 3 rainbow jerseys from 2011-2013. While Tony Martin has had a successful 2015 season, winning time trials (and even a non TT stage at the Tour de France) since February, he fell short today. His 7th place will no doubt be a massive disappointment to the German.

 

Kiryienka jumping into 1st place knocked Castroviejo off the podium entirely, but he was stopped by the press as he left the hot seat area.

 

1st Vasil Kiryienka

2nd Adriano Malori

3rd Jerome Coppel

 

A stoic Coppel with the bronze.

 

Malori studied his first ever Worlds TT medal.

 

 

I rarely talk about Kiryienka without the phrase “stone faced.” I would hate to play poker with him as his face gives away nothing, but today he showed his cards and was grinning like a maniac.

 

 

 

The podium.

 

 

 

A rider who works so hard for his Sky teammates all year, taking long pulls on the front of stage races and chasing down breaks while still posing a threat in every time trial, Kiryienka has certainly earned this rainbow jersey.

 

 

 

There is always a lot at stake in the World Championships, but today was not only about the rainbow jersey, it was also about Rio 2016. With 2 spots in the time trial for the Americans at next summer’s Olympics, landing on the podium today would mean an automatic spot on the team. Two time Olympic gold medalist Kristin Armstrong, 42, came out of retirement in 2015 with the specific goal of making making the Rio TT squad. The 2 other Americans racing the TT today, Carmen Small and Evelyn Stevens, were also looking for a ticket to Rio.

 

Armstrong was the second rider to start the 29.9km course this afternoon.

 

Jeanne D’arc Girubuntu is the first Rwandan women to ever compete in the World Championships and the only African in the Elite Women’s TT.

 

It’s hard to say what Kathryn Bertine is best known for: her documentary “Half the Road;” co-founding the successful one day race, La Course; authoring 2 books; or a host of other projects she always seems to have on the go. It’s not every day you see a rider giving fans a thumbs up moments before she’s called to the start house.

 

Bertine was also the only rider to smile–a broad grin–while waiting for the countdown to reach zero. Before it did? She told Richmond to, “make some noise,” which the spectators did with glee.

 

Armstrong, meanwhile, was finishing her first lap and looking strong.

 

She stopped the clock at 40:49.

 

Taking her post in the hot seat, Armstong spent the afternoon anxiously watching the competition try to topple her, knowing the biggest threats would not even start for nearly 2 hours. Armstrong benefit from mild conditions whereas those who started later dealt with a significant wind, one that was particularly strong on the long stretch of exposed bridge coming back into the city.

 

A track rider, Canada’s Tara Whitten ultimately landed in 13th.

 

Carmen Small.

 

 

Ellen van Dijk, TT world champion in 2013 and silver medalist in the TTT with Boels Dolmans 48 hours ago.

 

Trixi Worrack.

 

Halfway through, Small caught and passed the Latvian who started 90 seconds ahead of her.

 

 

Worrack was 1st in the TTT and 10th in the TT in 2014. One year later, she achieved the exact same result.

 

Small finished over a minute off of Armstrong’s time and was ultimately 14th.

 

Van Dijk caught the Finish rider in the home stretch, but it wasn’t enough for a spot on the podium.

 

The Dutchwoman placed 7th. She later said that her brakes were rubbing during the race but that even had her equipment not failed her, she just didn’t have the legs to win today.

 

Christine Majerus.

 

Camilla Mollebro.

 

Martina Salikova.

 

With just 3 riders left to hit the course, the last American to roll down the start ramp was Evelyn Stevens.

 

Anna Van Der Breggen, the penultimate rider, has had a fantastic season winning TTs, stage races, and La Course.

 

Looking to repeat her time trialling success from 2014 where she emerged with the rainbow jeresy, Lisa Brennauer was the final rider on course.

 

Emma Johansson.

 

Alena Amialiusik took 8th place.

 

Linda Villumsen had stood on the podium 5 times but had never been on the top step. As reports of her splits came in, Armstrong had cause to be nervous for the first time all afternoon.

 

Ann-Sofie Duyck.

 

Katrin Garfoot.

 

Hanna Solovey.

 

Karol-Ann Canuel.

 

Stevens.

 

Van Der Breggen.

 

Brennauer.

 

Approaching the finish, it was clear Villumsen was going to beat Armstrong’s time. The only question was by how much.

 

The kiwi stopped the clock at 40:29 with 20 seconds to spare on the American. Armstrong was still on the podium but had lost gold.

 

Duyck was 1:19 down on Villumsen, good for 9th overall.

 

Garfoot was just 9 seconds off Villumsen, knocking Armstrong down to bronze with 5 more riders, including the entire 2014 podium, yet to finish.

 

Silver medalist in Ponferrada, Hanna Solovey ended up in 16th.

 

Stevens, also looking for a medal and to get to Rio, came up short and was 6 seconds behind Armstrong (26 seconds behind Villumsen), 6th overall.

 

 

Watching the clock, Van Der Breggen looked on pace to reach the podium. Her time was 2.5 seconds slower than Villumsen’s, bumping Armstrong off the podium.

 

Brennauer held on for as long as she could but finished 5 seconds behind the kiwi.

 

Bronze for Brennauer, the 2014 TT champion.

 

Van Der Breggen claimed her second silver of the 2015 World Championships and will look to Saturday’s road race for another medal.

 

Villumsen, already with 2 silvers and 3 bronzes, finally got the sought after gold medal and rainbow jersey.

 

1st Linda Villumsen

2nd Anna Van Der Breggen

3rd Lisa Brennauer

Two laps around Richmond would determine the Junior Men’s time trial gold medalist. Would it be American Adrien Costa, runner up in Ponferrada, fired up to be riding on home soil? Michael Storer, the 2014 bronze medalist? A dark horse?

 

 

Brandon McNulty set off down the ramp about halfway through the 57 competitors to thunderous applause from the crowd.

 

 

His time of 38:44 was strong but it was a full 59 seconds off from German Leo Appelt.

 

McNulty headed for the hot seat where he would wait in the second chair.

 

Everyone in the start house dealt with pre-race nerves differently. Below: Szymon Wojciech Sajnok.

 

Vadim Pronskiy.

 

Derek Gee.

 

Keagan Girdlestone.

 

Gee.

 

Girdlestone.

 

 

Gee, Canada’s Junior Men’s TT champion, slotted in at 27th overall.

 

Girdlestone put in a good performance but missed the podium by mere seconds.

 

 

Tobias Foss.

 

Niklas Larsen.

 

Storer.

 

Costa came through his first lap, having slowly whittled down the deficit to Appelt with each time check.

 

Foss crossed the line for 8th place.

 

 

Larsen one bettered the Norwegian and was 7th.

 

 

Suiterland’s Gino Mader mustered 5th.

 

For his second lap, Costa continued to ride strongly but was just off the pace to catch the German who went off earlier in the morning.

 

The American favorite earned his second silver medal today at 17 seconds behind Appelt.

 

You can almost expect one of the pre-race favorites to have a bad day. Yesterday it was Ryan Mullen in the U23 TT and today it was Michael Storer. The Australian finished in 13th, over 2 minutes back.

 

 

1st Leo Appelt

2nd Adrien Costa

3rd Brandon McNulty

 

Costa was clearly angry and disappointed with his result.

 

 

Appelt pulled on the rainbow jersey for the first time.

 

 

Both Costa and Appelt will move up to be U23s for the 2016 season.

As the medals were handed out to the Junior Women’s time trial podium, the Cycling World Championships continued with the U23 Men’s  TT. Fifty* riders would start in waves to complete 2 laps of the nearly 15km circuit in search of the rainbow jersey.

 

The weather for the first couple of waves of riders was overcast but dry with an occasional wind.

 

Scott Davies.

 

Note the size difference between Kazakstan’s Stepan Astafyev and Japan’s Atsushi Oka.

 

Atsushi Oka.

 

Bonaventure Uwizeyimana.

 

Greg Daniel.

 

Nathan Van Hooydonck.

 

Denmark’s Mads Wurtz Schmidt benefitted from the mild conditions and set the best time of 37:10 on the 29.9km course.

 

Davide Martinelli.

 

Setting out just minutes after Schmidt, Max Schachmann clocked the second best time of the day, 12 seconds behind the Dane.

 

Mongolia’s Altan-Ochir Erdenebat got off to a frantic start when he showed up as the 10 second countdown was starting and he desperately tried to ready his bike (and himself). He rolled down the ramp several seconds after the clock had begun to count his time.

 

Alex Cataford.

 

Jan Marcus Faaglum Karlsson.

 

Merhawi Kudus.

 

 

Tom Wirtgen warmed up.

 

 

Oleg Zemlyakov prepared his radio.

 

Zemlyakov and Truls Engen Korsaeth on the rollers.

 

Thery Schir took 8th place.

 

The course stretched out before Yuma Koishi’s reflective visor.

 

Around the time kiwi James Oram rolled down the start ramp, the weather changed. The occasional wind had grown stronger and more consistent and the clouds drizzled on the roads and riders.

 

Miles Scotson suffered a mechanical on the road, losing valuable seconds. He ended up in 7th place.

 

 

Daniel Eaton was the top American, slotting in at 10th.

 

Owain Doull, who rides for Team Wiggins, finished in 5th.

 

Zemlyakov.

 

Wirtgen.

 

Marlen Zmorka came in 9th.

 

A smiling Greg Daniel rode to his hotel after finishing the course.

 

Steven Lammertink.

 

Ryan Mullen, the only returning podium member from the 2014 Worlds in Ponferrada as Kung and Flakemore had aged out, hoped to stand on the podium once again. Whether it was unfavorable conditions on the road or just a bad day at the wrong time, Mullen, who will move to the world tour with Cannondale-Garmin in 2016, could only manage an 11th place today.

 

The 2014 Junior Men’s TT champion, Lennard Kamna, celebrated his 19th birthday less than 2 weeks before competing as a U23. Nevertheless, he put in a strong performance and emerged with the bronze medal.

 

A jubilant Schmidt took to the podium alongside 2 Germans.

 

Schmidt anticipating–and enjoying–the rainbow jersey.

 

 

 

1st Mads Wurtz Schmidt

2nd Max Schachmann

3rd Lennard Kamna

 

*Fifty-two riders were slated to compete but Andrej Petrovski of Macedonia and Amanuel Gebreigzabhier of Eritrea did not start.

With the individual time trials starting today, there was plenty of activity readying the start house and checking bikes this morning.

 

The first of the Junior Women could only bide their time in foldable chairs before the event got underway.

 

Canada’s Gillian Ellsay was the second rider to hit the 15km course.

 

Ida Jansson of Sweden followed.

 

American Chloe Dygert took off 9th and set the time to beat at 20:18.

 

Daria Pikulik of Poland.

 

As I watched the women getting ready in the start house area, a gentleman struck up a conversation with me and appreciated my dedication to the sport. Here to work at the race, he invited me for a lap around the course in a race vehicle. (THANKS AGAIN!)

 

I hopped in and as we waited our turn to enter the course, a race official said she wanted us to follow the second Canadian rider, Emeliah Harvie, and asked if we’d mind, fully unaware that I am Canadian!

 

Harvie swung a turn.

 

A slight descent on tree-lined Monument Avenue.

 

The neutral Shimano service crew relaxed while they were not needed.

 

Harvie started to pick up the pace.

 

Approaching the bridge over the James River.

 

 

Flying by the Richmond skyline.

 

 

Heading towards downtown once more, the young Canadian started to slip a little as fatigue crept into her muscles.

 

Pedaling downhill through the Richmond.

 

Cornering before hitting the Governor Street climb.

 

The final kilometer included the Governor Street hill and a lengthy false flat.

 

 

The finish line in sight, Harvie stopped the clock in time to hit 10th place.

 

Anna-Leeza Hull, a pre-race favorite, just starting her TT.

 

Norway’s Susanne Andersen about to catch Eduador’s Ana Suarez.

 

Yumi Kajihara finished in 11th.

 

Juliette Labous rode to 5th place.

 

One of the last riders to start, American Emma White was the only rider to approach her compatriot’s best time, but even she was 1:05 off the pace. White earned silver, an improvement from her 5th place at the 2014 Worlds.

 

Aafke Soet came in 6th.

 

Hull won bronze for the second consecutive year.

 

Pernille Mathiesen, runner up in 2014, just missed the podium this year.

 

After a nervous morning in the hot seat watching 28 riders challenge her performance, Dygert won the gold medal and the rainbow jersey.

 

1st Chloe Dygert

2nd Emma White

3rd Anna-Leeza Hull

Riding the same TTT circuit as the women, twenty seven teams set out in search of gold.

 

Downtown Richmond

Champion System.

 

Astellas.

 

Jelly Belly.

 

Jamis-Hagens Berman.

 

Vino 4 Ever.

 

Hincapie.

 

Optum.

 

United Health Care.

 

Topsport Vlaanderen.

 

IAM.

 

Cannondale Garmin.

 

FDJ.

 

Jos Van Emden of Lotto Jumbo waited for a bike change before chasing like mad to try to catch his teammates.

 

Trek.

 

Lampre.

 

AG2R.

 

Giant Alpecin.

 

Lotto Soudal.

 

Astana.

 

Tinkoff Saxo.

 

Sky.

 

Movistar.

 

Katusha.

 

Etixx Quick Step.

 

Orica GreenEdge.

 

BMC.

 

The finish line

AG2R.

 

Giant Alpecin ultimately slotted in at fifth place but spent some time in the hot seat.

 

Lotto Soudal.

 

Sky.

 

Movistar, with time trial specialists like Alex Dowsett and Adriano Malori, secured their first ever podium in the Worlds TTT with a bronze medal performance.

 

Tinkoff Saxo, fifth in last year’s race, saw Mick Rogers and Michael Valgren crash, each rider leaving chunks of his kit and skin on the pavement. The team managed to finish but were dead last.

 

Katusha.

 

 

Etixx Quick Step, the only team to have medaled at all four editions of the reinstated race, rode to second place today.

 

Runners up in the last two editions of the Worlds TTT, Orica GreenEdge had a lackluster ride and placed fourth.

 

All along, this race was BMC’s to lose. They didn’t let the pressure get to them and won the TTT for the second consecutive year.

 

Gatis Smukulis and Maciej Bodnar surveyed the damage among the Tinkoff squad.

 

Movistar on the podium.

 

Etixx Quick Step.

 

This gold medal was an exclamation mark on the massive comeback Taylor Phinney has waged in the last month after missing well over a year of racing due to a crash at the 2014 national championships.

 

Busy with on stage celebrations, the team was a blur.

 

Daniel Oss even let Manuel Quinziato cut off a lock of his hair.

 

The crowd loved riders like Phinney, Boonen, and Martin, as expected, but the vocal Colombian community has supported Rigoberto Uran with an enthusiasm one could only expect from Colombians.

The women’s TTT kicked off the week of racing at the Worlds in Richmond. Thirteen teams started the 38.8km course, but the race ultimately came down to just three teams: Boels Dolmans, Rabo-Liv, and Velocio-SRAM. Undefeated in the event since it was reintroduced to the Worlds four years ago, Velocio-SRAM was hungry for the win. As if they need a further incentive, today would be the last race ever for the team as their owner, Kristy Scrymgeour, had announced earlier in the season she planned to step away from the sport.

 

Boels Dolmans promised to threaten Velocio-SRAM’s winning streak with a strong team that included Evelyn Stevens and Chantal Blaak, two members of last year’s gold medal Velocio-SRAM squad.

 

Rabo-Liv was the final serious contender, having won the TTT at last month’s Vargarda World Cup.

 

Downtown Richmond

Pepper Palace.

 

BMW presented by Happy Tooth.

Twenty 16.

 

 

BTC City Ljubljana.

 

Team Tibco-SVB.

 

Optum presented by Kelly Benefit Strategies.

 

United Health Care.

 

 

Boels Dolmans.

 

Wiggle Honda.

 

Rabo-Liv.

 

Orica-AIS.

 

Velocio-SRAM.

 

The finish line

BMW presented by Happy Tooth Dental.

 

Optum presented by Kelly Benefit Strategies.

 

United Health Care.

 

Boels Dolmans.

 

Wiggle Honda.

 

Rabo-Liv.

 

Orica-AIS.

 

Velocio-SRAM.

 

Seeking their fourth consecutive gold medal Velocio-SRAM, the team left everything on the course. The effort paid off and the team, in its last race ever, emerged the victors by six seconds over rivals Boels Dolmans. Absolutely empty with fatigue, Karol-Ann Canuel was attended to by her teammates and soigneurs immediately after finishing.

 

 

Velocio-SRAM received their medals.

 

1st Velocio-SRAM

2nd Boels Dolmans

3rd Rabobank-Liv

 

Lizzie Armitstead of Boels Dolmans may have earned silver today, but expect her to aim for the podium once more in the women’s road race on Saturday.

 

 

Ted King retired from the peloton one week ago today. I caught up with him to talk about what he’s done so far and what he’s up to next. Find the article at http://www.podiumcafe.com/2015/9/20/9358999/ted-king-the-generic-cyclist.