Germany takes medals in every time-trial
The 2010 UCI Road World Championships time-trial competition is over, and Germany has netted a medal in every category. The first day of the Championships began with the Under-23 men’s competition, followed the same day by the Elite women’s, where Marcel
Kittel and Judith Arndt each took medals. The second day of the competition held the Elite men’s time-trial, with a third medal for Germany in the hands of Tony Martin.
The 31.8km first race was won by American Taylor Phinney, with Luke Durbridge in second and Kittel finishing in third, 24 seconds behind Phinney, to earn the bronze medal.
"I had really good legs, everything went right and I am glad I didn't have a mechanical. I am absolutely happy with bronze. I couldn't do more," said Kittel. "After the way the year went this is a really good ending.”
The young rider was four seconds ahead of the fourth-place finisher, just inside of the podium, proving that he belongs among the best time-trialists despite a course that wasn’t ideal, according to his coach. The young German will be riding as a pro next
season, with team Skil-Shimano.
The second race, the 22.8km Elite women’s time-trial, was won by Briton Emma Pooley, 15 seconds ahead of German runner up Judith Arndt, who took the silver medal with a narrow finish of 0.63 seconds ahead of Linda Melanie Villumsen. This was Arndt’s third
silver medal in the World Championship Elite women’s time-trial and her fourth podium finish, so wasn’t quite as delighted with the result as was fellow German medalist Kittel.
"So I am disappointed. It is not that I couldn't be happy over silver. But I would have liked to win,” said Arndt. "I think Emma was really strong today and I am not really disappointed. But if you try again and again and again and you never win, then of
course you are a little bit disappointed."
The 45.8km Elite men’s time-trial was won by defending champion Fabian Cancellara, for a record-breaking fourth time. Briton David Millar took the silver medal, 1:02 behind the Swiss winner, and German Tony Martin was a further ten seconds behind. Things
might have been different, since Martin was quickly gaining on Millar’s time until he punctured near the end of the first lap and had to perform roadside repairs.
The German was the third-last starter, followed by local Richie Porte and final starter Cancellara. After the flat, which may have cost him an otherwise-clean silver medal, Martin was facing off again Porte in the fight for the bronze medal. The Australian
finished fourth, seven seconds off the podium, one of only four riders to finish the course in less than an hour.
Martin is one of four HTC-Columbia riders chosen to race in the German team for the Elite men’s road race on Sunday. One of the four is sprinter André Greipel, one of the favourites for the title in the event of a bunch sprint. Greipel often gets the short
end of the stick in major stage races, since his teammate Mark Cavendish is the natural choice as the sprint specialist. If Sunday’s race ends in a bunch sprint Greipel will have the opportunity to prove himself in a face-off against Cavendish, with Martin
as a clear choice for his lead-out man.
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