Martin says ITT title defence will be no easy task

As defending world champion, Tony Martin (Germany) will be last man out of the start house for the men’s individual time trial on Wednesday. Despite his two challengers for medals in 2011 being absent, Martin knows that claiming back-to-back gold medals will be far from an easy task.

Having recovered from his effort on Sunday with Omega Pharma-QuickStep in the team time trial where they won gold, the 27-year-old said he will have a battle on his hands.

"I'm in good shape," Martin told Biciciclismo. "It will be a nice race with some of the best specialists in the world. I'm ready to fight and try to defend the title I won last year."

There are a number of potential challengers for Martin in 2012, including penultimate rider Alberto Contador (Spain), who the German will follow out of the start house.

"I was surprised by the course," said Contador to l'Avenir. "I was expecting something more difficult. This is sinuous, with many changes of pace. But there is the Cauberg which is really difficult."

Former world under 23 champions Taylor Phinney (USA) and Luke Durbridge (Australia) are definite threats, as is Frenchman Sylvain Chavanel

Riders will leave Heerlen at two minute intervals starting from 1:30pm local time.

Start times

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamHeader Cell - Column 2
1Segundo Navarrete (Ecu)13:30:00
2David Albos Cavaliere (And)13:32:00
3Elchin Asadov (Aze)13:34:00
4Carlos Oyarzun (Chi)13:36:00
5Gabor Lengyel (Hun)13:38:00
6Reidar Bohlin Borgersen (Nor)13:40:00
7Jiyong Kang (Kor)13:42:00
8Michael Hutchinson (Ire)13:44:00
9Jay Robert Thomson (RSA)13:46:00
10Riccardo Zoidl (Aut)13:48:00
11Matej Jurco (Svk)13:50:00
12Aleksejs Saramotins (Lat)13:52:00
13Jose Ragonessi (Ecu)13:54:00
14Mykhaylo Kononenko (Ukr)13:56:00
15Andrei Krasilnikau (Blr)13:58:00
16Kristijan Koren (Svn)14:00:00
17Sam Bewley (NZl)14:02:00
18Eugen Wacker (Kgz)14:04:00
19Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz)14:06:00
20Ioannis Tamouridis (GRE)14:08:00
21Maciej Bodnar (Pol)14:10:00
22Gatis Smukulis (Lat)14:12:00
23Sergey Firsanov (Rus)14:14:00
24Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu)14:16:00
25Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (RSA)14:18:00
26Rein Taaramae (Est)14:20:00
27Thomas De Gendt (Bel)14:22:00
28Alex Dowsett (GBr)14:24:00
29Adriano Malori (Ita)14:26:00
30Wilco Kelderman (Ned)14:28:00
31Vasil Kiryienka (Blr)14:30:00
32Jan Barta (Cze)14:32:00
33Vladimir Gusev (Rus)14:34:00
34Tanel Kangert (Est)14:36:00
35Alexsandr Dyachenko (Kaz)14:38:00
36Andriy Grivko (Ukr)14:40:00
37Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu)14:42:00
38Jakob Fuglsang (Den)14:44:00
39Janez Brajkovic (Svn)14:46:00
40Patrick Gretsch (Ger)14:48:00
41Kristof Vandewalle (Bel)14:50:00
42Jeremy Roy (Fra)14:52:00
43Cameron Meyer (Aus)14:54:00
44Jesse Sergent (NZl)14:56:00
45Peter Velits (Svk)14:58:00
46Gustav Larsson (Swe)15:00:00
47Jonathan Castroviejo (Spa)15:02:00
48Lieuwe Westra (Ned)15:04:00
49Bert Grabsch (Ger)15:06:00
50Luke Durbridge (Aus)15:08:00
51Sylvain Chavanel (Fra)15:10:00
52Svein Tuft (Can)15:12:00
53Tejay Van Garderen (USA)15:14:00
54Marco Pinotti (Ita)15:16:00
55Fredrik Kessiakoff (Swe)15:18:00
56Taylor Phinney (USA)15:20:00
57Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa)15:22:00
58Tony Martin (Ger)15:24:00

 

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