'Last year we aimed for podium but this time we want to win'
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Team Sky en route to third place during the stage 2 team time trial at Volta a Catalunya(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
A joyous Chris Froome celebrates his Vuelta victory(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Geraint Thomas (Sky) is best British rider(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
World champion Vasil Kiryienka (Team Sky)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Gianni Moscon (Sky)(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Owain Doull (Team Sky) would record a DNF(Image credit: Swpix)
Chris Froome will ride the team time trial at the World Championships later this month, with Team Sky confirming the six riders it will take to Norway in search of a first victory in the event.
Froome sealed the Tour de France-Vuelta a España double at the weekend, both largely built on commanding time trial victories, and he's joined by a team that's up there with the strongest on paper.
Former individual time trial world champion Vasil Kiryienka is in the six-man squad, along with Polish time trial champion Michal Kwiatkowski, and Geraint Thomas, who won the opening-day time trial at this year's Tour de France.
Rounding out the team are two younger riders in Olympic team pursuit champion, Owain Doull, and Gianni Moscon, who became Italian national time trial champion this year before doing a remarkable job for Froome at the Vuelta, his first Grand Tour.
"It's a very strong line-up and fresh off the Vuelta win the guys are going to be really motivated. Plus if you look at the guys who rode the Tour of Britain last week they are riding strongly too. You can never just turn up and win though – everything has to go well and everything has to be on song," said sporting director Brett Lancaster.
Quick-Step Floors and BMC have shared the honours since the Worlds team time trial was reinvigorated as a trade team event in 2012, with Sky's best result being third place in 2013. This year, however, the line-up reflects heightened ambition.
"Last year we went in hoping to give the podium a crack but this year we're definitely targeting the win," said Lancaster.
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"But it's definitely not going to be easy. A lot of other teams put aside a lot of guys who have been preparing solely for this race, and they have the time and the numbers to do this. Our resources are a bit different with the way we race as a team. There's always stiff competition and it's going to be close as a lot of teams are dialled in these days."
Lancaster also argued that the nature of the course could favour Sky. 42.5 kilometres long, with constantly undulating roads, there's a very short but sharp early climb, followed by a 3km climb at a gradient of 6% in the second half. Technical descents, exposed roads and even stretches of cobblestones will add to the mix, making this far from a traditional flat, power course.
"It looks like it's going to be dry on Sunday which is a bonus as it does rain a lot in Bergen. That will take the technical side out of it I think. We've seen a video of the course but I'm heading out early to check it out and see what it's all about."
