Etixx-Quick Step returned to the top step of the Worlds team time trial podium after a two-year absence with defending champions BMC Racing settling for the silver medal. Having missed the podium last year, Orica-BikeExchange finished in third place for their fourth medal in five attempts.
The blue and black Etixx-Quick Step team covered the 40km course in 42:32, with German duo Tony Martin and Marcel Kittel both doing huge pulls in the final kilometres to get the better of BMC in the second half of the course after both teams were tied on time at the 27km check point.
"The guys did a really great job. They stayed in one line, never hesitated in the corners and did what they had to do. The team was smooth and strong, even on the technical parts, so congrats to our riders. Simulating a course makes a big difference, and doing this in our preparations for Qatar helped us a lot today," sports director Tom Steels said of the team's win.
The win was Martin's third for Etixx-Quick Step and his last, with the 30-year-old moving on to Katusha from the 2017 season. He said the Doha win was his best yet.
"I've raced all the team time trials since the discipline returned at the Worlds, came every time on the podium and won twice, but this victory is different. I want to thank the team for today and for these five years, they were incredible," Martin said.
For the full race report, results and photographs, click here.
Boels Dolmans cap off successful season with debut Worlds TTT victory
Top women's team Boels Dolmans reversed the 2015 Worlds TTT result in Richmond as the six-rider squad got the better of Canyon-SRAM by 48 seconds across the 40km course. Cervelo Bigla were a more distant third at 1:56 to claim its first bronze medal in the event. For Canyon-SRAM, the silver medal ended their run of four straight gold medals.
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The Doha heat was felt by several teams, with RaboLiv the worse affected as Anouska Koster looked to lose focus and crash into the roadside barriers as the team finished last of the eight.
"We've worked hard all season," world champion Lizzie Deignan said. "We've shown ourselves to be the most dominant team in women's cycling, and it was really important to us to finish off the season with this medal. It's been a long season, and I'm so proud of how the team came together."
For Evie Stevens, the TTT was the final event of her career, with the American calling time at the end of the 2016 season. She said it was the best possible result ahead of her retirement.
"I feel very confident that I made the right decision. My biggest goal was to end and know that I’m still good, that I could still keep going but that I was choosing to stop and I did that," Stevens said. "I knew all season that I would retire this year, and I knew all season that this is how I wanted to go out. I can't think of a better ending than this. This is exactly how I wanted to do it."
For the full race report, results and photographs, click here.
Fernando Gaviria upset the sprinters to become just the second non-European winner of Paris-Tours ahead of FDJ's Arnaud Démare and IAM Cycling's Jonas Van Genechten in third. Gaviria attacked inside the final 700 metres of the 252km race to first surprise his sprint rivals and then hold off the peloton for his second one-day win.
The race was the final tune up for the sprinters ahead of Sunday's Worlds road race in Doha, with Colombian Gaviria making it two wins for Etixx-Quick Step on Sunday following the team time trial victory.
"This is the most beautiful win of my career. I knew how important and big this race was, I know its history, and this motivated me to get the victory today. It was tough and fast today, but I was fresh in the finale, when I decided to take advantage of a corner which slowed down the peloton before the last straight," Gaviria said.
"It was my final race of the year in this kit and this makes the success very special. Also, to get news that the team won the team time trial world title gives me even more satisfaction.
"In Doha it’s going to be a completely different story and the race will be made even more difficult by the heat, but I’m going there confident, relaxed and in good condition, so we’ll see what will happen," he added.
Click here for the full race report, results and photos.
World Champions Van Aert and De Jong enjoy Hotondcross victories
Belgian 'cross world champion Wout van Aert and Dutch 'cross world champion Thalita de Jong both enjoyed victories Sunday at the DVV verzekeringen trofee Hotondcross C1 race. The world champion duo proved too strong for their rivals with Van Aert winning the race 31 seconds ahead of compatriot Jens Adams and Michael Vanthourenhout third at 36 seconds. Former world champion Mathieu Van Der Poel was fourth with mechanicals hampering his race.
In the women's race, de Jong had less of a winning margin than Van Aert but still enjoyed a solo victory 22 seconds ahead of Sanne Cant. Sophie De Boer was then a narrow third to Cant at 25 seconds. In the U23 men's race, Joris Nieuwenhuis (Netherlands) took the victory ahead of Eli Iserbyt with Sieben Wouters in third place. The junior men's race taken out by Yentl Bekaert.
Stephen Hyde got the better of US national champion Jeremy Powers (Aspire Racing) at Charm City Cross on Sunday, with the Cannondale P/B Cyclocrossworld rider taking a solo victory. Powers then got the better of Daniel Timmerman (Stan's NoTubes Elite CX) in a two-up sprint 13 seconds later.
In the women's race, Katie Compton also enjoyed a solo victory, with the Trek Panache rider taking the win 37 seconds ahead of Emma White (Cannondale P/B Cyclocrossworld). Kona's Helen Wyman was third at 1:10 to round out the podium.
For the full race results from both the men and women's races, click here
