As expected, Jan Barta was in a class of his own in today's Czech time trial championships. The defending champion beat the Omega Pharma-Quick Step duo of Petr Vakoc and Zdenek Stybar by more than 1.30 to comfortably defend his title.

Being one of the best time triallists in the world, Jan Barta went into today's Czech time trial championships as the overwhelming favourite and the NetApp-Endura rider fully lived up to expectations. On the course in Slavkov, he was superior and earned himself the right to wear the champion's jersey for the third year in a row.

As expected, Barta's closest rivals were the Omega Pharma-Quick Step duo of Petr Vakoc and Zdenek Stybar but it may have come as a slight surprise that the former managed to beat the latter in the battle for the silver medal. While Stybar lost 2.04 to Barta, Vakoc was 31 seconds faster to prove his potential in his first professional season.

On Sunday, Barta will try to defend his road race title when he joins forces with NetApp-Endura teammates Leopold König and Frantisek Padour in a race where Vakoc and Stybar again will be among his biggest rivals.

Result:

1. Jan Barta 55.38

2. Petr Vakoc +1.33

3. Zdenek Stybar +2.04

4. Tomas Okrouhlicky +2.33

5. Jan Hirt +3.06