David Zabriskie and Taylor Phinney competing for a single Olympic time trial spot
Taylor Phinney of Team BMC and David Zabriskie of Team Garmin-Barracuda are fighting for the single available spot to represent USA at the 2012 Olympic Games, time trial position.
The USA Cycling is expected to announce its final Olympics selection in a week or so which is the reason behind an intense battle amongst the players.
Bronze medallist at the Beijing Olympic, Levi Leipheimer was also an ideal candidate for the mega event but the leg injury has now ruled him out of contention.
While commenting on his chances at the London Olympics, Taylor noted that he is a big fan of David and grew up watching him race.
He also noted that being a professional cyclist, it would be a stupid move not to fight for his own case.
"According to the automatic selection criteria for Olympic time trial, we had to place in the top three in a Grand Tour time trial over 40km [in length],” Phinney noted.
“The only result of that kind in the last year and a half is my fifth place in the Vuelta; unfortunately I was 11 seconds off of third place".
He also briefed that David is undoubtedly the best time trialist in the world and he will not be surprised to see him racing at the London’s event.
Taylor also noted that Brailsford has already proved his brilliance in the season with the first place finish at the USPRO National Time Trial Championships and the second overall spot during the Tour of California.
"I think Dave's the best time trialist in the world and I think it's a no-brainer to take him for the time trial," David’s compatriot Tom Danielson briefed in California.
“I saw it and he was phenomenal the first stage of the race. And then obviously here he dominated during a very difficult course".
On the other hand, Taylor Phinney succeeded during the opening team’s time trial stage of the Giro del Trentino along with a stage 1 (individual time trial) victory at the Giro d’Italia.
It will be interesting to see if Phinney makes it through to represent USA at the biggest sporting event of the year scheduled in August.
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