TOM Pidcock showed Great Britain team-mate Chris Froome the way by adding to his reputation with victory in the junior men’s time-trial at the Road World Championships in Norway on yesterday.
Hannah Barnes and Elinor Barker were ninth and 19th respectively in a women’s 21.1-kilometres event in Bergen won by Annamiek van Vleuten of Holland, after Pidcock had won the junior title.
It will be four-time Tour de France champion and La Vuelta winner Froome’s chance today in the men’s time-trial event.
“With the Tour de France and the Vuelta it’s not something I’ve been able to train specifically for,” Froome told BBC Sport. “I’m here with whatever form I’ve got on the back of the Tour and the Vuelta.
“I still feel good, still feel fresh, feel up for it. I’m going to get on that start line, give it everything I’ve got.
“I’d rather be here and give it my best than be at home and wonder where I’d have finished.
“I’m certainly not banking on any result. Anything would be a bonus from here.”
Froome will face time-trial specialists like Tony Martin of Germany, Holland’s Tom Dumoulin and Rohan Dennis of Australia on the 31km course.
Like Froome, Pidcock has enjoyed a stellar 2017.
The 18-year-old is a multidisciplinary rider. He won the cyclo-cross world title in a British podium clean sweep in January and added the junior Paris-Roubaix title on the cobbles of northern France in April. He also won the British Circuit Race Championships in July.
Pidcock finished the 21.1km route in 28 minutes 2.15 seconds, 11.92secs clear of his nearest rival.
Pidcock said on britishcycling.org.uk: “I knew a podium was a possibility, but I didn’t really think I’d take the lead and then hold it all the way to the finish like that.
“I haven’t recovered yet, I was struggling to sit on that chair. When I recover, I think it will sink in a bit more.”
Silver went to Antonio Puppio of Italy and bronze to Poland’s Filip Maciejuk.
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