Uran ruled out of Worlds team time trial

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Rigoberto Uran will not form part of Omega Pharma-QuickStep’s line-up in the team time trial at the world championships in Ponferrada, Spain on Sunday as he has not recovered from the asthmatic bronchitis that cut short his Vuelta a España. Uran had been lying in 6th place overall at the beginning of the third week but abandoned the race after losing ground on the road to La Farrapona.

Omega Pharma-QuickStep have won the first two editions of the team time trial Worlds, in Valkenburg in 2012 and in Florence 12 months ago. Uran, who arrived from Sky this season and was an impressive winner of the Barolo time trial stage at the Giro d’Italia, was set to bolster their squad still further.

In a statement on Tuesday afternoon, Omega Pharma-QuickStep said that Uran will “will follow therapy for the next five days and be ready for the UCI World Road Championship on the 28th of September.” Uran crashed out of the winning break on the last lap of the Worlds in 2013.

Even without Uran’s services, Omega Pharma-QuickStep will line up as favourites for the Worlds team time trial, as they boast a formidable squad for the 57 kilometre test, and they will be led by three-time individual time trial champion Tony Martin. The German underlined his pre-Worlds form by winning the Borja time trial at the Vuelta.

Michal Kwiatkowski and Niki Terpstra also return from last year’s winning sextet, and will be joined by Tom Boonen (a team member in 2012), Pieter Serry and Julien Vermote.

“The parcours looks more difficult than the one of last year, more technical for sure,” said directeur sportif Tom Steels. “But fortunately we will fly there Wednesday, so we will have three days to get into the rhythm of the race, to study details, and prepare as best we can.

“We believe this team can repeat the success of the first two attempts. All the guys showed they are in good condition for the race where they each competed in the last week.”

Omega Pharma-QuickStep team for team time trial at world championships: Tom Boonen, Michal Kwiatkowski, Tony Martin, Pieter Serry, Niki Terpstra and Julien Vermote.