Day three of the 2022 UCI Road World Championships in Wollongong, Australia, saw the Juniors battle for individual time trial honours, with the women starting the ball rolling.
Bäckstedt crushes the competition
Great Britain’s Zoe Bäckstedt crushed the competition as she roared around the 14.1km Wollongong course in a time of 18:26.78, which was over a minute-and-a-half (1:35mins) clear of silver medallist Justyna Czapla of Germany. Belgium’s Febe Jooris took bronze a further 13secs back.
By the halfway point, Bäckstedt had put 50secs into the then current leader Czapla. She continued to put the hammer down, extending her lead to over 90secs by the finish line thanks to an average speed of 45.9km/hr.
“I came into the race knowing the climb was going to be tough but, being last person off, I’d already seen some of the times at the halfway point,” Bäckstedt said after the race. “I was watching my Wahoo [bike computer] as I was riding and thinking I’m 10-and-a-half minutes in and I’m over the climb, so I should be up. I kept pushing and pushing, cornering in and out of the skis. It was so much fun.”
The result more than made up for disappointment 12 months ago where the Brit finished second in the time trial in Belgium. “This was one of my biggest goals of the season, to go one better than last year,” Bäckstedt continued. “I’ve done so much work this season. Nailing the time on the time trial bike, nailing the intervals, replicating the course. And I’m so happy it paid off.”
It’s well known that Bäckstedt’s from a cycling family. Her father, Magnus, won Paris-Roubaix in 2004, while her sister, Elynor, competes for UCI Women’s WorldTeam Trek-Segafredo. Zoe herself recently signed her first professional contract with EF Education-TIBCO-SVB, beginning next season. The genetics and nurturing combined for a dominant performance.
Earlier in the day, it was Bäckstedt’s countrywoman, Isabel Sharp, who set the benchmark of 20:31.65. Over the next hour, a trickle of riders eclipsed Sharp’s time before the final two riders, Czapla and Bäckstedt, rolled down the ramp. Czapla briefly took the lead but the Brit could already see her in the distance, meaning the German didn’t even have time to nestle into the hot seat before the Brit crossed for gold.
Tarling makes it a double
In the Men Junior competition, Joshua Tarling made it a golden day for Great Britain as he took victory in 34:59.26. The 18-year-old Welsh rider was last off the start ramps, and fastest through all the checks. He was 9.44secs up on the first check. By end of the first lap, he held a lead of over 19secs. That lead had shrunk to 13secs by the second check but back to nearly 20secs come the finish line.
“It’s a relief after so much hard work,” Tarling said after the race. “I was annoyed after [finishing second] last year, so I’m pleased with this.”
Asked about his pacing strategy, the Brit commented, “I went as hard as I could over the first climb then accelerated downhill and with the tailwind. But I was hurting. When I started to see [Jens] Verbrugghe, I eased off a bit too much so kicked through the last sections. It was all about perfecting the corners.
“It’s great after a bad start to the season with injury and feeling empty,” Tarling continued. “Also, I had a bit of food poisoning at the European Track Championships and was annoyed that I couldn't help my team in the team pursuit. But it’s been flat out since then to bring GB a rainbow jersey.”
Pre-race favourite, Tarling is unbeaten in time-trialling this season and recently signed his first professional contract for British team Ineos Grenadiers. Among his stand-out performance this year have been victory at the Tour de Gironde International and sixth in the Trophée Centre Morbihan. He won the time trials in both French races.
Joy for Tarling turned to disappointment for Australian Hamish McKenzie who held the lead for over 3hrs after powering around the 28.8km Wollongong course in 35:18.45. Home fans roared their approval as the 18-year-old looked poetry in motion, averaging 48.941km/hr.
He was an early starter among the 52 riders, and for over the next three-and-a-half hours, no-one got within a minute of former triathlete McKenzie, who won the Australian Junior Time Trial Championships earlier in the year and was clearly inspired by one of his cycling heroes, Richie Porte, who recently retired.
Until Tarling’s effort, a pattern developed of riders edging close to McKenzie at the first check but hemorrhaging time to the second check. It was only near the end that riders began to get within a minute of the Australian.
The versatile Swiss rider Jan Christen, who won gold in the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships and silver in the cross-country Olympic at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, crossed for second but was then displaced by Germany’s Emil Herzog, who recorded 35:32.71. That was how it briefly stood until Tarling’s masterclass, which sent Great Britain to the top of the medal standings after three days of the 2022 UCI Road World Championships.