The stars n stripes' were a popular addition to the roadside (Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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Alex Dowsett (Great Britain)
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Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus)
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Taylor Phinney (USA) was 12th
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Jerome Coppel (France) on his way to securing the bronze medal
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Stephen Cummings (Great Britain)
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Tom Dumoulin (Netherlands)
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Tony Martin (Germany)
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Adriano Malori (Italy)
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Rohan Dennis (Australia)
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Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus) listens to his national anthem on the podium after winning the elite men's time trial (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Adriano Malori (Italy) stands in second place on the podium at Worlds (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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The elite men's time trial podium at the World Championships (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus) bites the gold medal (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus) wins the elite men's time trial (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus) drapes his nation's flag around his shoulders as the new world champion in the time trail (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus) holds up his nation's flag (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Jerome Coppel (France) with his bronze medal (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Jerome Coppel (France) bits the bronze medal (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Adriano Malori (Italy) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus) in the rainbow jersey (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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The podium legs (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus) tops the podium in the elite men's time trial (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus) wears the rainbow jersey and wins the gold medal in the time trial (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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The elite men's time trial podium (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus) all smiles on the podium after winning the time trial in Richmond (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus) puts on the rainbow jersey after winning the time trial (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus) is the new world champion in the time trail (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Adriano Malori (Italy) took the silver medal (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Stefan Kung (Switzerland) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Stefan Kung (Switzerland) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Tony Martin (Germany) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Tony Martin (Germany) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Tony Martin (Germany) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Tony Martin (Germany) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Tom Dumoulin (Netherlands) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Tom Dumoulin (Netherlands) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Tom Dumoulin (Netherlands) after the time trial where he finished fifth (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Tom Dumoulin (Netherlands) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Tony Martin (Germany) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Tony Martin (Germany) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Stephen Cummings (Great Britain) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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The time trial course in Richmond, Virginia (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Stephen Cummings (Great Britain) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Belgium) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Belgium) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Belgium) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Belgium) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Tom Dumoulin (Netherlands) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Tom Dumoulin (Netherlands) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Tom Dumoulin (Netherlands) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Tom Dumoulin (Netherlands) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Jesse Sergent (New Zealand) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Belgium) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Christopher Juul Jensen (Denmark) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Ramunas Navardauskas (Lithuania) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Jerome Coppel (France) took the bronze medal (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Andreas Vangstad (Norway) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Andriy Grivko (Ukraine) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Segundo Navarrete (Ecuador) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Tanel Kangert (Estonia) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Gustav Larsson (Sweden) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Polychronis Tzortzakis (Greece) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Serghei Tvetcov (Romania) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Juan Martinez (Puerto Rico) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Oliveira Santos (Portugal) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Jan Barta (Czech Republic) finished just outside the top 10 in 11th (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus) wins the elite men's time trial at the Richmond World Championships (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Adriano Malori (Italy) took the silver medal in the elite men's time trial at Worlds (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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France's Jerome Coppel takes the bronze medal (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Tony Martin (Germany) finishes in seventh place (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Tony Martin (Germany) finishing the elite men's time trial in Richmond (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Tom Dumoulin (Netherlands) finished fifth (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus) on his way to winning the elite men's time trial at Worlds (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Marcin Bialoblocki (Poland) finished ninth (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Adriano Malori (Italy) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Matthias Brandle (Austria) was 16th (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Jonathan Castroviejo (Spain) was fourth (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Maciej Bodnar (Poland) was eighth (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Stefan Kung (Switzerland) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Alex Dowsett (Great Britain) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Manuel Rodas Ochoa (Guatemala) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Alexandr Pliuschin (Republic Of Moldova) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Spain) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Moreno Moser (Italy) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Kanstantsin Siutsou (Belarus) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Wilco Kelderman (Netherlands) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Nikias Arndt (Germany) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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David Albos Cavaliere (Andorra) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Rohan Dennis (Australia) had a flat tire during the time trial and finished sixth (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Luke Durbridge (Australia) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Ahmed Elbourdainy (Qatar) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Sergei Tvetcov (Romania) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Gustav Erik Laarson (Sweden) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Rigoberto Uran (Colombia) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Jerome Coppel (France) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Belgium) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Taylor Phinney (USA) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Alex Dowsett (Great Britain) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Tom Dumoulin (Netherlands) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Petr Vakoc (Czech Republic) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Lawson Craddock (United States Of America) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Yves Lampaert (Belgium) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Romain Sicard (France) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Rasmus Christian Quaade (Denmark) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Ilnur Zakarin (Russian Federation) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Vegard Stake Laengen (Norway) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Tobias Ludvigsson (Sweden) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Michael Hepburn (Australia) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Silvan DIllier (Swizerland) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus) won the world title in the individual time trial at the UCI Road World Championships in Richmond, Virginia. He covered the 53.5km course in 1:02:29 to win the rainbow jersey ahead of Italy's Adriano Malori, who finished 29 seconds back to take the silver medal. France's Jerome Coppel finished 27 seconds back to take bronze medal.
"I knew it was a good course for me - it's the kind of course that suits me," Kiryienka said. "Of course Fabian Cancellara, and Bradley Wiggins were not here, but all of the other great time trial riders were here today. I think the level was very high, and it's of course great to win."
One of the event's favourites Tom Dumoulin (Netherlands) finished in fifth place 1:01 back, which wasn't the performance he was hoping for after such a strong three weeks at the Vuelta a Espana. Another favourite, former three-time winner of the event Tony Martin (Germany) also had a disappointing ride finishing in seventh place at 1:17 back.
"For sure Tony Martin and Tom Dumoulin were the favourites today, but also we have difficulty comparing the last results," Kiryienka said. "Adriano was close to me so it was good for him, but today was my day."
Rohan Dennis (Australia) had a consistent ride up until his rhythm was disrupted by a mid-race bike change. He ended up finishing 1:08 behind Kiryienka's fastest time in sixth place. "I had a puncture with about 25km to go. It sucks but you can't do much about it. You just have to move on. Usually you lose 20 to 30 seconds. Kiryienka was on an absolute blinder. Maybe I could have been in the medals, but that's the way it goes. But Tony Martin just came in behind me, so coming in faster than him is a big achievement. He's the benchmark in time trials."
Always a strong time triallist, Kiryienka was one of the outside favourites to win the event after finishing fourth in the time trial at the Vuelta a Espana, second in the event at the Tour of Poland, third in the stage at Tirreno-Adriatico, and wins at both the Belarus Championships and the European Games this year. His most important victory this season in the time trial, outside of his recent world title, was his stage 14 win in the event at the Giro d'Italia.
"This year I was not in the Tour de France because I was tired from the first part of the season," he said. "The last race before I came here was the Vuelta. I actually have to thank my team. They gave me the chance in the Vuelta to not just work for the leaders, but thinking ahead to today for the World Championship. They told me that this could be my year, they had the sense that this could be my chance to be the place where Bradley Wiggins was last year."
The Belarus champion consistently crossed each of the three intermediate time checks with the fastest time, posting 18:45 at the first, 31:18 at the second and 49:30 at the third, and finishing the event in 1:02:29. "I had the splits along the way, and that was important, but it was a race against myself. I knew the splits, but I knew from the beginning that I was feeling very well, and riding very well," he said in the post-event press conference.
After a season full of time trial success, Italian champion Malori was picked as an outside chance to finish on the podium, and he pleasantly surprised cycling fans with a silver-medal performance. He had a slower start than Kiryienka, posting 19:12 at the first time check, which was only the eighth fastest time but he picked up the pace as the time trial went on and posted the second fastest times in the two subsequent checks, behind Kiryienka.
Meanwhile, Coppel was off the radar for a podium finish and ended up with an unexpected bronze. Like Malori, he also had a slower start, only slightly quicker than Malori with a 19:05 at the first time check. He gained speed through the final two checks, posting the third fastest times.
"Before the start it was not in my mind to be on the podium. I wanted to maybe be in the top 10, but I had really good sensations from the very beginning. Riders like Tony Martin and Tom Dumoulin were not on such a good day. In cycling you also need to be lucky and that was the case for me today," Coppel said.
American Taylor Phinney was on the radar for a strong finish after winning a stage at the USA Pro Challenge. However, he only recently returned to racing from a year-long leg injury, so it was unclear if his form was good enough for a medal performance in the time trial in Richmond. He ended up finishing a respectable 12th place, 1:36 behind Kiryienka and as the top American. His compatriot Lawson Craddock finished 22nd at 2:27 back.
'I knew something was wrong straight away' says father Magnus Backstedt
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