The showdown! All things being equal (and even with a few inequalitites) the individual time trial should provide a great spectacle at the end of a gruelling three weeks - Armstrong thrives in this race against the clock, and his dominance is well documented. But if we have a situation like 2003, this could be the clincher for the leader going into the stage, or it could provide the challenger with a whisker of hope. Here's hoping the weather stays fine and we get Ullrich out firing and witness Basso's improvement in time trialling, which has also been well-documented. The distance suits Armstrong, but the undulating terrain suits Ullrich's ability to push the big gears and power along. A surprise may be in the works, but chances are it'll come down to these two, regardless of where they are on GC - but it's also likely they'll both be at the pointy end of the field.
Start order
-
UCI Gravel World Championships LIVE – Two riders from early breakaway still lead elite men’s race
The second day will see the elite men compete across 180km and take 1,650 metres of climbing -
Trofeo Tessile & Moda: Adam Yates wins uphill finale atop Oropa climb
Mathys Rondel second, Jay Vine third as UAE Team Emirates-XRG bag yet another win -
19-year-old Paul Seixas becomes youngest rider in 100 years to finish top 10 in a men's Monument – but still 'a bit disappointed' with Il Lombardia debut
French prodigy finished seventh in first-ever Monument -
Richard Carapaz escapes serious injury in Il Lombardia crash as EF Education-EasyPost lament 'tough day'
Ecuadorian rider crashed with 30km to go in Italy, as Ben Healy suffered with fatigue
