2009 Road World Championships  - Elite Men ITT
Fabulous Fabian Cancellara Dominates the Elite Time Trial in a show of power and class.

In a clear demonstration of speed and time trial form Fabian Cancellara dominated the worlds time trial this afternoon on home ground in Mendrisio,  Switzerland. Fabulous Fabian finished in 57:55.74 averaging 51.580 km/h. Much in the way Kristin Armstrong dominated her competitors yesterday, Cancellara proved to be as untouchable as the American woman.

One of the camera motos followed every move of Cancellara around the course. Cancellara stormed around the course setting a remarkable pace never slowing and only getting out of the saddle a few times to accelerate out of the saddle; his position flawless with almost no movement in the upper body he rolled with a high cadence over the hilly course taking the fastest line. Photo © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti

Fabian sat up with 200 meters to go knowing he had won to raise his hands above his head, clapped his hands for the fans and pointed to the Swiss flag emblazoned across his red and white national champions jersey and celebrated the victory to the cheers of his happy countrymen who lined the finish waving flags in support.

Fabian flies down the start ramp and onto the course. Photo © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti

Leading from start to finish setting an opening pace of over 52 kilometers an hour in the first laps, the Swiss time trial specialist set the best times at all six time checks to lesson the worlds best in the race against the clock and win his 3rd World Time Trial title and rainbow jersey.

On the way to his victory Fabian caught three of the riders that set out a minute before him on the hilly 16.6 hilly circuit over the three laps to complete the 49.8 kilometers. First to be caught was Gustav Larsson, then Belgium's Sébastien Rosseler and then Brad Wiggins... Cancellara almost caught his three minute man, Tony Martin nearing the finish; but Martin held off  Fab Fabian by just 30 seconds at the finish.

Swedish time trial champion Gustav Larsson. Photo © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti

Cancellara's closest rival for the gold was Saxo Bank teammate and Swedish time trial champion Gustav Larsson by 1:27.13; who like his other competitors seemingly never had a chance against "Spartacus Locomotiv" who was a picture of smooth power as he steamed through the course never lagging in his attack against the clock.

Larsson on a good time when passed by his mate used him as pace maker riding to keep him in sight, would be the only rider to finish under an hour; a wise move as it and won the silver medal for Sweden.

Tony Martin of Germany rode a consistent race throughout finishing 2:30 off the the Swiss time machine's pace to take the bronze medal. Martin's world class pace of 48.44 km/h gives brings into perspective how indomitable Cancellara was today.

Tom Zirbel the 23rd rider to start in the second wave of riders set the time to beat at: 1:00:42.86 averaging 49.21 km/h; Zirbel's time resisted the efforts of rider after rider with the American topping the ranks as the final ten comprising the worlds finest time trial specialists lined up at the start house three hours later.

Zirbel spent the afternoon in the hot seats for the current top three finishers near the awards stage as the riders sitting with him were replaced one by one... he was the last holdout in the hot seat to the finish as first Martin, then Cancellara and finally Larsson finished to drop him off the podium to fourth place.

First words from the new world champion,
“I was absolutely flying on home ground today and I was well aware that it was going to take some hard work to reach my goal so I started out the time trial with everything I had. I'm really glad to regain the World Cup jersey. I have been working hard to reach this condition and it is clear that I also have ambitions regarding the course on Sunday”

Cancellara finished up saying he would now recover over the next two days for the road race which he has targeted to win... on this form we could see him raise his hands once again in Mendrisio to take the double.

2008 world champion Bert Grabsch never seemed to find his rhythm today placing in the top ten at the time checks at first and then losing steam on the second and third laps to finish in 10th place over 3 minutes down. Italian champion and Columbia/HTC teammate Marco Pinotti rode a consistent race throughout only lagging in the final lap to finish at two seconds over three minutes off Cancellara's time.

Italian time trial champion Marco Pinotti  strong steady ride for 5th place.
Photo © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti

Surprises and disasters:
Alexander Vinokourov the Asian time trial champion showed there was still fire in his legs with a to ten performance finished in 8th place at 3:20.95.

Bradley Wiggins on the rivet...  Photo © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti

Great Britain's Tour de France phenom rolled out on the first time splits in the top ten and by the third and final circuit had moved up to 4th in the time checks as he made his bid for a podium appearance. A mechanical problem seemingly with his chain surfaced as he climbed the hill to the time check as he bent over trying to fix it while on the bike. Unfortunately, no in flight repair could be made and the rider dismounted throwing $10,000 worth of time trial machine to the ground and walking across the road in disgust; his chances at a podium dashed. Wiggins would finish at 4:50.39 in 21rst place, hardly representing what the Garmin/Slipstream rider is capable of.

UCI 2009 Road World Championships
Elite Men's Individual Time Trial Results
49.8 km - 57:55.74 - 51.580 km/h
1 Cancellara Fabian Switzerland 57:55.74 
2  Larsson Gustav Sweden   1:27.13 - 50.318 km/h
3  Martin Tony Germany   2:30.18 - 49.444
4  Zirbel Tom USA  2:47.12 49.214
5  Pinotti Marco Italy    3:02.88 - 49.002

Koos Moerenhout Photo © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti

Ignatus Konolovas Lithuania 9th. Photo © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti

6  Brajkovic Janez Slovenia   3:08.49 
7   Moerenhout Koos Netherlands   3:11.59 48.885km/h
8   Vinokourov Alexandre Kazakhstan   3:20.95 
9   Konovalovas Ignatas Lithuania   3:33.88 
10   Grabsch Bert Germany   3:37.39 
11   Mc Cann David Ireland    3:40.61 
12   Peraud Jean-Christophe France  3:43.95 
13   Bak Lars Ytting Denmark   4:07.66 
14  Cornu Dominique Belgium  4:09.40 
15   Tuft Svein Canada    4:24.25

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