Worlds: Callum Scotson rides to fifth in U23 TT

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For Australia, the U23 men's time trial is the most successful event on the World Championships schedule. In Callum Scotson Australia had a genuine contender for the overall podium but at the conclusion of the 37-kilometer course in Bergen, he fell five seconds shy of bronze. Scotson averaged a speed of 45.820km/h on the course with bronze medallist Corentin Ermenault riding the slightly faster 45.884km/h pace to hold off the Australian.

Seventh on his U23 Worlds time trial debut last year when brother Miles claimed the bronze, Scotson explained he was pleased to have bettered 2016 but wanted a medal.

"Yeah I am happy with my ride. I gave it my all and everything went smoothly. It's an improvement from last year and I was close to the podium so that's nice," said Scotson, who was tenth in Doha.

"For sure it is a little disappointing to finish so close to the podium but that is racing. In a time trial what you put out there on the course is what you finish with, so even if you are close you have to settle with what you did and I enjoy the event for that reason."

Since 2008, 2015 was the only year Australia had missed a medal in the U23 time trial when Miles Scotson was seventh. Slowly building his pace across the course, the longest of the TT's at the 2017 Worlds, 21-year-old Scotson explained he was largely riding on "unknown" roads.

"The course was quite challenging, technical and definitely long. It was quite unknown territory racing for almost 50 minutes, but I enjoyed the course," Scotson added on the course and opportunity to contest a long stand-alone time trial," he added.

With time on his side, Scotson can qualify for the 2018 U23 Worlds but is likely to be challenged be the anticipated hilly parcours in Innsbruck. First though, Scotson will turn his attention to the road race where Australia is backing Robert Stannard for a result with Jai Hindley and Michael Storer rounding out the team. Lucas Hamilton withdrew from the team with illness.

"Yeah certainly finishing fifth tells me I am going along well so I don't need to stress about my condition," he added.