Vasil Kiryienka proved he is in great form as the season comes to an end as he won the Chrono des Nations time trial for the second straight season. European champion Jonathan Castroviejo was a close second. Martin Toft Madsen (Team Almeborg-Bornholm) was the only other rider within a minute of the Belarussian.

Toft Madsen was the big surprise, setting a time of 1:05:07, and for a long time it looked like that wasn’t going to be beat. Top riders like FDJ duo Alexandre Geniez and Johan Le Bon didn’t even get close, neither did Moreno Moser (Cannondale-Drapac) and Sylvain Chavanel (Direct Energie).

Moser’s teammate Ryan Mullen got closest, falling just under half a minute shy of the Dane. However, his real test was always going to come from the final two riders off the start ramp, Kiryienka and Castroviejo.

Indeed, the Belarusian posted positive splits the full way around the course and by the end it was obvious he was going to go fastest, the only question was by how much.

At the line, the gap was 59 seconds and now all eyes were on the Spaniard on the Movistar team, who had started just two minutes behind Sky’s former World Champion. The duo were close in splits all over the 51.5km course. Under the flamme rouge, it was apparent it would come down to the wire.

Castroviejo emptied himself all the way to the line, but in the end he fell just short by five seconds, ensuring Kiryienka defended his title and beat Castroviejo for the second time in ten days after taking second in the Worlds Time Trial, while the European Champion was third on that day.