After two consecutive silver medals, ORICA-GreenEDGE returns to the UCI Road Cycling World Championship team time trial on Sunday looking for the eluded top step of the podium.
Last year produced the biggest margin in the event’s history – 32seconds – but sport director Matt White is adamant this year’s edition will be as tight as ever.
“We are aiming at winning the event,” White said. “But you will be able to throw a blanket over the teams which make the podium.
“There is at least three teams that have the ability to win on the day. It will be a great battle in an event that really does epitomise teamwork.”
ORICA-GreenEDGE have named a powerful six-man lineup that White is confident will be up for the challenge.
The quartet of Michael Hepburn, Luke Durbridge, Svein Tuft and Jens Mouris all return having each been part of the silver medal winning performances over the past two years.
Tuft was the sole representative in the Australian outfits team time trial victory at the Tour de France in 2013 however Durbridge and Hepburn along with Michael Matthews and Sam Bewley, who complete the world championship team, were all involved in the team’s success in this year’s opening Giro d’Italia stage.
“The course is fast!” White said. “It’s not a technical course and we are happy with the profile for the team we have prepared.
“We had half the team at the Tour de France and the others doing altitude in July this year. Then we lined up their programs to all have a very similar lead in period with a camp at the end of last Month and then the entire team in Alberta together.
“It's been a good build up and we are happy with where we are coming into the event.”
The 2015 UCI Road Cycling World Championships are in Richmond, Virginia in the United States of America. The men’s team time trial, held this Sunday 20thSeptember, is a 38.8km relatively flat and very fast course.
ORICA-GreenEDGE at the UCI Road Cycling World Championships TTT (20 September):
Sam Bewley
Luke Durbridge
Michael Hepburn
Michael Matthews
Jens Mouris
Svein Tuft
Stijn ENNEKENS 40 years | today |
Yamato SHIROTA 30 years | today |
Edinson Alejandro CALLEJAS 24 years | today |
Etienne GRIMOD 19 years | today |
James PANIZZA 21 years | today |
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