James Gullen who did a sub seventeen minute 10 the other week, and seems to win all the local TTs he enters by about two minutes, finished about fifty seconds down on the winner. Certainly shows you how good they are!
He lives near me so follow him on Strava. Came top 3 in Nationals in the TT and won the Ras this year and a stage of Taiwan and properly on form. This is what he said on twitter..
I can also confirm a TT after 4 days racing is very different to a TT on a Saturday after an easy cafe spin. Can't imagine a grand tour one
It's a totally different world. The top 10 are all probably dead certs for the Worlds TT I think, apart from Dowsett.
I heard that they design the route to mirror the Worlds course to try to attract contenders for the Worlds. I hope this is true as otherwise this isn't exactly the best showcase of what Britain has to offer cyclists!
Just checked out the world's course profile, and there may be something in this.
https://bergen2017.no/courses/road-race/elite-men/
I wonder why they've gone for such a flat WC course - surely it would have been possible to have a much more testing circuit there? Or is that little climb (when they have to do it 12 times) enough to break things up?
they vary the course over the years, some years its a climbers, some sprinters, some classics guys. although as its always a new course no one has raced before you are never sure quite how it will play out until the day.
aren't they always just a loop with a hill?
Or is that little climb (when they have to do it 12 times) enough to break things up?
It'll take a few teams with no out and out sprinter pushing the pace for a number of laps to really break things up, but yes, in theory 1.5km@6% x12 should be enough.
Looks perfect for Sagan/GVA/Matthews.
