Time Trial opens 2018 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships

After 21 qualifier events in 4 continents in the past 12 months, riders are ready to show their form in the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in Varese, Italy starting with the Time Trial today

The World Championships started with a time trial today (Thursday August 20) with 617 riders from 44 different countries at the start. England was the best represented nation with 72 participants but also France (55), Australia (52) and the home country Italy (52) were well represented.

>>> RESULTS: 2,400 cyclists tackle UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in Italy <<<

The course had a first loop going out of the city to a higher point before returning over the same road on a downhill second part split with cones in the middle. The majority of the road has been repaved specifically for this event so everybody had smooth asphalt and fast times.

>> UCI Gran Fondo World Championships Team Relay goes to Slovenia <<

The qualifier event was the same course end of September last year had a winning time of 29:09 in an average speed of 45.2 km/h while the fastest female rode the same distance in a time of 33:13 which is just under 40 km/h average.

The first rider to start was Janice Una Houghton-Wallace from Great Britain in the female 65+ category. The last rider to leave was Belgian Hophra Gerard who finished at 17h45 local time CET.

Time Trial opens 2018 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships

2018 UCI Gran Fondo Time Trial Podium Medal Results

In the general rankings Spanish rider Saldamando Raul Portillo was the fastest for the men in a time of 28m 15s and for the women American Molly Van Houweling was fastest in a time of 32m 13s

Men 19-34

1 SECONDO FABIEN FRA, FRANCE 0:28:15.90

2 VERASZTO MAXIMILIAN AUT, AUSTRIA 0:28:22.40

3 GERETSCHNIG MARTIN AUT, AUSTRIA 0:28:55.30

Women 19-34

1 ŠIMENC LAURA SLO, SLOVENIA 0:32:49.25

2 BAZIN MARJOLAINE FRA, FRANCE 0:32:50.95

3 RHODES-JONES JESSICA GBR, UNITED KINGDOM 0:33:18.25

Men 35-39

1 LOVŠE MATEJ SLO, SLOVENIA 0:29:00.70

2 LOAKE CHRIS GBR, UNITED KINGDOM 0:29:17.90

3 DE BOES TIMMY BEL, BELGIUM 0:29:56.85

Women 35-39

1 OLWEYH AMELIE GER, GERMANY 0:33:21.25

2 FABER FAYE GBR, UNITED KINGDOM 0:33:32.70

3 AGO JOANNE GBR, UNITED KINGDOM 0:34:32.75

Men 40-44

1 GUCEK ANDREJ SLO, SLOVENIA 0:28:28.10
2 SMITH MATTHEW GBR, UNITED KINGDOM 0:28:28.15

3 KOPF MICHAEL GER, GERMANY 0:28:34.80

Women 40-44

1 BLAKEMORE JEANNIE NZL, NEW ZEALAND 0:33:25.85
2 NABI AMANDA AUS, AUSTRALIA 0:33:37.30
3 BREMS CHARLOTTE SWE, SWEDEN 0:34:49.55

Men 45-49

1 PORTILLO SALDAMANDO RAUL ESP, SPAIN 0:28:15.80
2 BUSBANI GIAMPAOLO ITA, ITALY 0:28:25.45
3 BRYANT DANIEL USA, UNITED STATES 0:28:36.55

Women 45-49

1 VAN HOUWELING MOLLY USA, UNITED STATES 0:32:13.10
2 SCHUETZ ADELHEID GER, GERMANY 0:32:46.85
3 FALCK KRISTIN NOR, NORWAY 0:33:26.45

Men 50-54

1 BIRD BRUCE CAN, CANADA 0:28:58.10
2 KUNZ ALBERTO GER, GERMANY 0:28:59.95
3 NUNES ROBERT COSTA RICA 18 18 0:29:07.40

Women 50-54

1 DAVIS ANNA AUS, AUSTRALIA 0:32:51.75
2 HANSEN TRINE NOR, NORWAY 0:33:07.60
3 PRATI MARIA CRISTINA ITA, ITALY 0:33:43.20

Men 55-59

1 MCMURRAY JAMES NZL, NEW ZEALAND 0:29:48.05
2 TYE KEVIN GBR, UNITED KINGDOM 0:29:48.30
3 SULLIVAN BRENDAN USA, UNITED STATES 0:30:12.85

Women 55-59

1 CAPPIELLO OLGA ITA, ITALY 0:34:24.25
2 HARNETT KIKSTRA SARA NZL, NEW ZEALAND 0:34:54.90
3 CARCERONI GILLES CLAUDIA FRA, FRANCE 0:35:46.55

Men 60-64

1 KUZNETSOV VLADIMIR RUS, RUSSIAN FEDERATION 0:30:05.50
2 BODIN JAN NOR, NORWAY 0:31:12.10
3 ADAMS MICHAEL USA, UNITED STATES 0:31:16.75

Women 60-64

1 JEANNIE LONGO FRA, FRANCE 0:33:22.50
2 KEMPE DEBRA AUS, AUSTRALIA 0:35:26.40
3 MILLER ANN MARIE USA, UNITED STATES 40:36:40.05

Women 65+

1 LUNDSTROM LENA SWE, SWEDEN 0:35:13.80
2 VALKS MARTI NED, NETHERLANDS 0:38:00.55
3 ZANDER MARIA GER, GERMANY 0:40:46.50

Men 65-69

1 BAKLANAU MIKALAI BLR, BELARUS 0:31:26.90
2 SLUYTS RUDOLF BEL, BELGIUM 0:31:42.85
3 GILLES PELLET FRA, FRANCE 0:32:40.55

Men 70+

1 HRINKOW GERHARD AUT, AUSTRIA 0:32:54.55
2 PETIPAS ANDRE FRA, FRANCE 0:33:01.05
3 CHRISTOFFERSEN KAARE NOR, NORWAY 0:33:37.10

Link to Official Results: https://www.endu.net/en/events/uci-gran-fondo-world-series-2018-time-trial/results

Weekend Schedule

Friday August 31st is the day for the special Team Relay race and Saturday September 1st is a day of rest, relaxation and entertainment before the GranFondo on Sunday September 2nd all centered around the race village in Varese

The 2018 GranFondo World Championships courses are very hilly, with three major climbs across the valleys around Varese, which all feature in the first half of the race.

>> 2018 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships Course Preview <<

Time Trial opens 2018 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships