World Cycling Championships 2018 Innsbruck, Austria: Favourites ITT – women

We can add Lucinda Brand to the list. During the National Championships she outclassed World Champion Annemiek van Vleuten for the podium. The ITT at the European Championships in Glasgow was a Dutch affair also. Ellen van Dijk outperformed Anna van der Breggen by 2 seconds, while Trixi Worrack came in third with a loss of more than 1 minute. Van Vleuten and Brand were not competing in Glasgow.

The route of the ITT in Innsbruck is not as tough as last year’s route in Bergen. The women race an undulating course with two steeper sections. The first hill is 700 metres and averaging 4.5%, while the second is 1.2 kilometres at 4.3%. The route in Bergen was tailor made for time trialists with climbing legs as it featured more demanding terrain with an 1.4 kilometres climb at 7.2% standing out. Climbers Van Vleuten and Van der Breggen seized the opportunity to fight for the rainbow bans jersey. They finished 12 seconds apart with the now retired Katrin Garfoot another 6 seconds further back rounding out the podium. Van Dijk came in fifth, but we should expect the three-time European Champion to perform stronger in Innsbruck as the route suits her better.

Contenders in Innsbruck who won the rainbow jersey before are Annemiek van Vleuten (2017), Amber Neben (2016, 2008), Lisa Brennauer (2014) and Ellen van Dijk (2013).

Favourites World Championships ITT for women

**** Anna van der Breggen, Ellen van Dijk, Annemiek van Vleuten
*** Lucinda Brand, Trixi Worrack, Amber Neben
** Lisa Brennauer, Audrey Cordon-Ragot, Hayley Simmonds
* Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig, Carol-Ann Kanuel, Leah Kirchmann