All the World Class Time trial riders were represented in Copenhagen for the Time Trial Elite Men’s at the UCI Road World Championships 2011.
German Tony Martin took the gold after a fabulous ride through the centre of the Danish capital referring Bradley Wiggins from Great Britain and Fabian Cancellara from Switzerland to second and third place.
“To me it was really important to come into the race and to find a good rhythm. Today I had really good legs, the speed was really high and everything was perfect,” said Tony Martin just after the golden race and added: “I think I found the perfect way to prepare for a one day Time Trial with the Vuelta, and I felt really, really confident and I think I will prepare the same way for the next worlds.”
After two bronze medals (2009-2010), Martin now joins fellow countrymen Jan Ullrich (1999 and 2001) and Bert Grabsh (2008) to take the World Championship throne since the Time Trial was introduced in 1994.
Martins average speed of 51,8 kph is the fastest in World Championship’s history, beating Fabian Cancellara’s speed from 2009 by 0,2 kph.
Silver medalist, Bradley Wiggins, commented on the special atmosphere in Copenhagen with the estimated 100.000 spectators along the circuit: “Today it really felt like a world championship the atmosphere was fantastic. I didn’t really expect anything. I knew I was in great form for the Vuelta and I went out there not bringing a radio, just concentration on my race.”
Four times Time Trial World Champion, Fabian Cancellara, humorously commented to the remark on the press conference that life is a roller coaster: “Yes now I can go to Tivoli and try the roller coaster and it was a bit of a roller coaster for me today in the race but Tony deserves to win more than anyone else. We are not machines and if we don’t perform 100% we can’t win. That’s how cycling is.”
The Time Trial Elite Men was the last of the disciplines to be staged in the town centre. The entire World Championship set-up will now be moved to Rudersdal, north of Copenhagen for the road races.
Jesper Worre, race director of the UCI Road World Championships 2011, is more than pleased about the first lap of the Worlds: “It is the first time ever that the time trials have been staged in the middle of a capital and the announced traffic panic was called off the minute the first rider left the ramp. The Copenhageners and spectators have been absolutely fantastic supporting the worlds top riders – and I’m sure that tv-transmissions world wide have proved how well Copenhagen is suited for great cycling events.”
The Danish Cycling Federation and the Danish police estimates 100.000 spectators along the circuit today.
