National Time Trial Champions 2017 – Review II

Jun 22
cyclical

The national champions’ jerseys keep getting handed out across Europe, with a swathe of new and returning victors taking their country’s time trial honours

In France, it’s another TT title for Audrey Cordon-Ragot (Wiggle-High5). The Breton hammered her FDJ pair Severine Eraud and Aude Biannac by almost a minute-and-a-half to retain her stripes in Saint Omer.

After taking a third straight championship, Cordon-Ragot told Directvelo.com: “I think this was the year I was most expected to win as I won the last two championships. I had the pressure at the start, I was wondering if I was going to live up to what was expected of me. It was important not to focus on the other girls but to simply do what I can do. That’s what I did and it worked. Today, it was enough to go for this title and I’m happy.”

After passing her minute-woman Elise Delzenne: “I saw Elise coming in after the first corner in the first flat. I had already taken some time. It immediately motivated me enormously, knowing that with the TT, I was afraid of her. She was at home and she knew the circuit certainly better than me. I’m pretty observant and I know how my opponents are. I knew that Elise had the pressure and she wanted to do well. When I saw that I had already taken 15-20 seconds at the top of the first difficulty, there was more to ensure thereafter.”

Belgium

Ann-Sophie Duyck took another Belgian TT title with a powerful performance over a mangled figure-of-eight course in Chimay to beat Isabelle Beckers and Julie Van De Velde.

It’s four in a row for the Drops Cycling Team rider, who couldn’t be happier with her win. It was a good day for Drops with Anna Christian taking the British Under-23 women’s jersey.

Beckers was pretty thrilled with her performance: “I am very happy with this silver medal. This Championship was a big goal of mine and the last few weeks I spent a lot of hours on the time trial bike … I suffered a lot in the heat, but I just had to grin and bear it and I kept going. For the warm-up I wore an ice jacket, but during the race it was just a matter of not thinking about it.

When I was standing on the podium, I still didn’t realise what I had done. Ann-Sophie Duyck is by far the best Belgian time trialist, the second place was the highest possible result today. I am very proud of this achievement. Now I can be relaxed for the road race on Sunday.”

And to top it all, Beckers then casually rode home in the evening sunshine.

Denmark

The ever-smiling Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig retained her Danish title ahead of Team Veloconcept duo Pernille Mathiesen and Louise Norman Hansen. She covered a dead-flat 28 kilometers in 39’13”, with Mathiesen only five seconds back and Norman at 13 seconds, and the top seven were separated by just half-a-minute.

“It was a tight fight. I’m really happy because the Danish women’s level has been so high this year. I think it’s the highest level I’ve seen in Danish women’s cycling so that makes me really proud to win. The course wasn’t suited to me. It was totally flat; I have never seen a flatter course than this. There was no wind to make it tough so I really had to bring my A-game to win this but I wasn’t going to raise the white flag and give up even though the course wasn’t for me so I had to believe and that’s what I did.”

It’s been a stellar step-up in 2017 with permanently strong results for the Danish youngster, and backing up a nationals title is a big deal. Once can be a surprise; handling the favorite’s tag is something else.

Britain

Claire Rose took out the British TT title with a great ride in the Isle of Man. The Visit Dallas DNA rider produced an outstanding ride in a well-stacked field to win her first senior TT jersey after a silver medal last year.

Anna Christian and then Elinor Barker were early pace-setters before Olympic pursuit sta Katie Archibald (32’36”) hacked almost a minute off Barker’s lead. Hannah Barnes (32’30”) then knocked Archibald out of the hot-seat only for Rose to blast home in 32’11”.

Defending champion Hayley Simmonds could only set 32’40” and missed the medals, leaving Rose to say: “With time trials, it’s just about your own effort and really thinking about what you can do rather than what everyone else can do, so that’s how I approach it. I’m over the moon to be able to wear the national champion’s jersey.”