Less than a second separates top two teams.

Omega Pharma-Quickstep once again proved its superiority in the team time trial, winning the UCI road world championship event in Florence, Italy, on Sunday by the narrowest of margins.

The surprise of the day in a negative sense was that BMC proved unable to challenge the Belgian squad. Rather it was Orica-GreenEdge which gave defending champions a real run for their money.

The Australian team came from behind to pass the third intermediate check more than a second quicker, but on the more technical run-in through the streets of Florence, Omega Pharma-Quick Step were slightly faster, and took the win by a paper-thin margin of just 0.81 seconds.

With more than 30 teams starting, organizers scheduled the heavy hitters for the second half of the race, with continental and developmental squads getting started first. The Slovenian team Adria Mobil and the Rabobank Development Team were the quickest of the early starters, until Vacansoleil-DCM and Lotto-Belisol got the WorldTour teams on the board with the best times.

Not as regularly cited as a contender for victory, Sky Procycling put themselves at the front of the field early, taking five seconds out on Cannondale at the first intermediary. Orica-GreenEDGE, BMC Racing, and Omega Pharma-Quick Step were all on course by 4:00 local time, and with Vacansoleil-DCM still coming up to their finish, the WorldTour chase was fully on.

But Omega Pharma-Quick Step began to show why they were the defending champions. Tony Martin increased his pulls, and led his team over the third check point just 1.45 seconds slower than Orica-GreenEdge, and a photo finish seemed in order. 

After finishing a close runner-up last year ago, BMC Racing Team was less prosperous this year, bringing home four riders and eventually finishing just outside the podium in fourth position. BMC was besyed by Sky Procycling, which finished 55 seconds up on Radioshack-Leopard, with provisionally the best mark. 

With both teams dashing toward the finish, Orica-GreenEdge and Omega Pharma-Quick Step were clocking virtually identical times. But the Belgian squad still had five men together in the slipstream of Martin, while Orica-GreenEdge was down to the mandatory four. The Aussie quartet stuck together over the finish line, swiping 21 seconds from Sky. BMC was visibly struggling as they hit the finish straight, already behind Sky’s time and just trying to hold onto their spot ahead of Radioshack-Leopard, which they did, by 15 seconds.

At the end of the nail-bitingly close finish, the Orica-GreenEDGE riders sat stone-faced in disbelief while the OPQS riders lay scattered around the finish area. Exhausted but jubilant after having successfully defended their world title.

Full Results

Elite men time trial

1 Omega Pharma Quick Step 1:04:16.81        

2 Orica GreenEdge, 0:00:00.81                          

3 Sky Procycling, 0:00:22.55   

4 BMC Racing Team, 0:01:02.71                        

5 RadioShack Leopard, 0:01:17.53                   

6 Astana Pro Team, 0:01:21.14                          

7 Cannondale Pro Cycling, 0:01:28.74             

8 Garmin-Sharp, 0:02:01.94   

9 Team Saxo-Tinkoff, 0:02:14.17                      

10 Movistar Team, 0:02:31.03                           

11 Katusha, 0:02:45.80            

12 Belkin Pro Cycling, 0:02:59.01                      

13 Lotto Belisol, 0:03:01.19    

14 Team Argos-Shimano, 0:03:06.86              

15 FDJ.fr, 0:03:19.38                 

16 Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling, 0:03:38.44

17 Lampre Merida, 0:03:56.31                           

18 Euskaltel Euskadi, 0:03:59.95                       

19 Rabobank Development Team, 0:04:28.79                         

20 Adria Mobil, 0:04:34.43     

21 CCC Polsat Polkowice, 0:04:40.49               

22 Topsport Vlaanderen Balois, 0:04:54.80  

23 Optum P/B Kelly Benefit Strategies, 0:05:09.48                

24 AG2R La Mondiale, 0:05:18.92                     

25 Etixx-Ihned, 0:05:19.71     

26 MTN Qhubeka, 0:05:20.60                            

27 Team Cult Energy, 0:05:27.50                      

28 Kolss Cycling Team, 0:05:27.99                    

29 Vini Fantini - Selle Italia, 0:05:28.99           

30 Cyclingteam De Rijke – Shank,0:05:42.36                            

31 BDC - Marcpol Team, 0:06:07.57                 

32 Team Gourmetfein Simplon, 0:07:13.42 

33 Utensilnord Ora24.eu, 0:07:55.62              

34 Cyclingteam Jo Piels, 0:08:34.65                 

35 Velo Club Sovac, 0:11:51.68