UCI Road World Championships: Waerenskjold doubles Norway’s golden score

Waerenskjold doubles Norway’s golden score

Norway’s Søren Waerenskjold followed Tobias Foss’ individual time trial victory with gold of his own in the Men Under 23 time trial in Wollongong, Australia.

Day two of the 2022 UCI Road World Championships took place beneath even brighter skies than yesterday and with a lighter breeze. Ahead of the riders lay a 28.8km course that featured 264m of elevation and numerous fast corners.

Denmark was looking for a fifth consecutive Men U23 title after Mikkel Berg won three in succession from 2017 through to 2019 followed by Johan Price-Peterson in 2021. (there was no U23 race at the 2020 UCI World Championships due to the Covid-19 pandemic.)

And they were soon in the hot seat again in Wollongong as Carl-Frederik Bévort delivered a 49.542km/hr average to take the lead in 34:52.79. It was a magnificent effort by the 18-year-old who recently finished top-10 in the individual time trial at Denmark’s Elite National Championships.

On the course, Belgium’s Lennert Van Eetvelt was also looking good. The Lotto Soudal rider, who’ll graduate from the Under 23 team for 2023, was an outside favourite and justified that tagging with a smooth ride, but lost time near the end and would finish 57secs down on Bévort.

Leo Hayter, 24 hours after brother's disappointment

Then it was time for one of the hot pre-race favourite to hit the course, Leo Hayter. The British rider, aged 21, won the Giro d'Italia Giovani Under 23 earlier in the season, which secured him a three-year contract with Ineos Grenadiers. He’s competed as stagiaire for the British team since August. Hayter was looking for a performance similar to his brother Ethan 24 hours earlier minus the mechanical issues that dashed his podium chances.

Leo Hayter endured no such misfortune as he followed the British team’s noted ‘marginal gains’ mantra, cutting every corner fine and fast for an overall time of 34:37.56, which was over 15secs faster than Bévort.

Just prior to Hayter crossing the line, Kaden Luke Hopkins had edged onto the podium thanks to a time of 35:46.69. It was a fine effort from the 22-year-old cyclist who hails from Bermuda.

Dutchman Mick van Dijke was looking strong but punctured with just 2.6km to go and had to change bike, leaving his medal hopes in tatters.

The same couldn’t be said for Norway’s Søren Waerenskjold, who was looking to make it two time trial golds for Norway in 24 hours after countryman Tobias Foss surprised all by winning the Men Elite competition.

Conservative start for Waerenskjold

But he had it all to do after the first check, sitting over 6secs down on Hayter’s fastest split. Come the next split, however, everything had changed as the 22-year-old, who competes for Uno-X Pro Cycling Team, had stormed to 20 secs ahead. Come the finish, he was the clear leader on 34:13.40 thanks to an average speed of over 50km/hr around the technical 28.8km course.

There were still several big-hitters on the course including France’s Eddy le Huitouze, Denmark’s Adam Holm Jørgensen and Belgium’s Alec Segaert.

And it was Segaert who showed his hand first, the Under-23 European Champion fastest through the first check. Disappointingly for the Belgian, it looked like he’d gone off too fast, as he’d dropped to 27secs behind Waerenskjold at the second check. Segaert showed impressive spirit to fight back during the final section but finished over 16secs behind Waerenskjold in second, dropping Hayter to third.

Meanwhile, New Zealand’s Logan Currie was enjoying a fine day and was looking to displace Hayter come the final split… but he just fell behind through the final sections to finish fourth. Currie was the last on the Wollongong course who could challenge Waerenskjold, meaning Norway had done the unthinkable – two golds in two days.