The Movistar Team featured again on the podium of the 2015 UCI World Championships, yet with a sourer taste than after its bronze medal in last Sunday's team time trial. Adriano Malori took silver in an extremely long (53.5km), demanding Worlds ITT, as Jonathan Castroviejo (4th) offered yet another proof of the individual talent behind superb collective quality from Eusebio Unzué's squad.

Malori fought until the very final slope next to the finish to make up his initial margin, 27” after 16km in, to Vasil Kiryienka (BLR), a gap the Traversetolo-based rider reduced to 24” through the second intermediate (26.5km) and only 11” at the third (42.6km). Eventually, only nine seconds prevented the U23 rainbow jersey of  2008 repeating such a feat within the pros, a truly regular progression from his 10th place in 2012 (Valkenburg) to today's silver following Firenze's 8th (2013) and Ponferrada's 6th twelve months ago.

Before the Italian and after Alex Dowsett, 17th today, 2’06” behind the winner, crossed the line, Jonathan Castroviejo completed his best Worlds ever. The Basque rouleur's performance was consistent all the way, close to the podium places through all checks ,5” off third place after 26km, 14” away at 42km in and finishing just 2.74 seconds behind the bronze medal, a result which doesn't blur another magnificent year's work by the double Spanish ITT champion.

“It was a surprise, to be honest - I could hardly imagine I'd be up for the podium fight. It was a really demanding TT. I felt pretty well, and the tailwinds in the opening 8km made it even better; it was the perfect terrain for me, and I tried to keep that speed, yet saving some energy for the steep finale," Castroviejo said. "Ending two, three seconds off the podium is awful of course, as it was quite a good opportunity, but it gives me much confidence for the near future."