Mendrisio bronze medallist is surprised by the severity of the course’s two climbs
It’s not just the road race course that is tougher than people thought, as Tony Martin found out on inspection of the World Championship time trial course. The German finished third in last year’s event, behind Switzerland’s Fabian Cancellara and Sweden’s Gustav Erik Larsson, but is hoping to go two better this time.
“This is no rouleur’s course,” Martin told Radsport-news.com, “but with two short but steep 10-15% climbs it’s more of a power course. I must confess that my jaw dropped the first time I saw the climbs; the course is really challenging, if not technically.”
Although the course will be tough with its two climbs, it is not entirely a climber’s course, he says, but will still be one for the real time triallists.
“I don’t think that a pure climber will win here, the climbs are too short,” he said. “On the second inspection it was already slightly different and now, although I must say that it’s not the optimal time trial for me, the specialists are still the favourites.”
With this in mind, he still sees Cancellara as the favourite, with the Swiss rider odds on to take a record-breaking fourth title. Even though, he acknowledges that: “Fabian is also certainly not pleased about the hills.”
Otherwise, all is going to plan for the 25-year-old, who arrived in Australia at the weekend; he has had no problems with jet-lag, he says.
“I already have good rhythm,” said Martin, “I’m sleeping well at night, everything’s good. Until now we were very lucky with the weather, it was dry with temperatures of 10 to 15 degrees; today it rained a little but then it cleared up again.”
Although he is looking to equal or better his bronze medal from last year, Martin expects to play a supporting role for the German team in Sunday’s road race.
“I’ll be completely honest,” he said, “I’ve prepared myself for the time trial and I will make no compromises. I’m also not in the condition for 260km, to race for six hours and to fight for the victory.”
He is in agreement with most others who have seen the course, and that the hills will force a selection that will preclude a bunch sprint.
“I think it will be difficult for the pure sprinters,” he said, “even if I know that André Greipel is going well on the climbs. The route will be much more suited to the classics specialists like Paul Martens.”