World Champion Bert Grabsch (Columbia-HTC) (Image credit: Sirotti)
The first Elite Men's event of this year's World Championships in Mendrisio, Switzerland, gets underway on Thursday at 11.30am Central European time (CET). The individual time trial promises a spectacle, as the very best riders of the discipline will fight for the rainbow jersey on a demanding circuit of 16.6 kilometres, to be raced three times, for a total of 49.8 kilometres.
After a first, flat three kilometres on the Via Vignalunga - the home stretch of the 1971 road race won by Eddy Merckx - the road turns on a gentle descent of a little more than two kilometres into the village of Capolago.
The riders will then keep their momentum on a flat road between Capolago and Riva San Vitale for almost two kilometres before the first uphill stretch starts, lasting 700 metres.
After a further level section and a gentle one kilometre false flat, a tough 650 m ascent follows at Rossa di Rancate, including gradients of up to 10 percent. The last six kilometres back to the finish will take place on long straight roads with only a few uphill sections.
The riders contesting the race against the clock are divided into five groups of 13 riders each, with the last group including 14 riders. Starting times of each group are 11.30am, 12.30pm, 1.30pm, 2.30pm and 3.30pm, with the last rider expected in the finish around 4.45pm CET.
The favourites of the event will be showing off their excellence in the final group. Riders like Alexander Vinokourov, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Svein Tuft (2008 silver medal), Bradley Wiggins, Gustav Larsson (fifth last year), two-time time trial world champion Fabian Cancellara and the reigning rainbow jersey Bert Grabsch will be the last riders to tackle the course, with Grabsch getting underway at 3.43pm CET.
Of the final 14 riders in the final group, four ride for Team Columbia-HTC, three for Garmin-Slipstream, and two each for Saxo Bank and Astana. Katusha, Rabobank and Quick Step are represented by one rider each.
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Startlist for the Elite Men's World time trial Championships:
