Martin Toft Madsen (Denmark) (Image credit: Getty Images)
Martin Toft Madsen (BHS-Almeborg Bornholm) and Mikkel Bjerg (Hagens Berman Axeon) used their time trial skills to take the glory at the Chrono des Nations time trial in France, beating a string of better-known professional riders, including Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida), French time trial champion Pierre Latour (AG2R-La Mondiale) plus Jeremy Roy (Groupama-FDJ) and Sylvain Chavanel (Direct Energie) who were bringing the curtain down on their professional careers.
Toft Madsen won the Chrono des Nations in 2017 and again dug deep to beat younger compatriot Bjerg by seven seconds. The 19-year-old Dane recently won the under-23 time trial world title and seemed set for victory, only for Toft Madsen to pull back time in the final kilometres.
Toft Madsen set a time of 54:13, with Bjerg stopping the clock in 54:20 after he caught Nibali close to the finish. Stéphane Rossetto (Cofidis) finished third with a time of 55:52 and was the only professional rider to break the 56-minute barrier.
Chavanel missed out on the final podium place of his long career, setting a time of 56:27 for fifth place, behind Yohann Paillot (St Michel Auber 93). Latour set a time of 56:29.
Nibali finished eighth in a time 57:09, despite finishing second in Saturday’s Il Lombardia behind Thibaut Pinot.
