Martin preparing for record-equalling tilt at glory at World Championships

Sport360 staff 10:11 19/09/2015
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  • Tony Martin is favourite to win the World Road Cycling Championships this weekend.

    Tony Martin is preparing for a record-equalling tilt at glory as the World Road Cycling Championships get under way this weekend, two months after he crashed out of the Tour de France with a broken collarbone.

    The 30-year-old Etixx-QuickStep rider, seeks his fourth individual time trial title in five years, which would equal the all-time mark set by Fabian Cancellara, who took four of five between 2006 and 2010.

    Martin’s reign began in 2011 and lasted until he finished second last year to Britain’s Bradley Wiggins, who has retired from road events.

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    In July, Martin took the yellow jersey in the Tour de France but crashed out in stage six. But last month, he won the Tour de Poitou-Charentes, a signal he was back on form.

    Martin must wait until Wednesday for the individual men’s time trial but his first race will come in tomorrow’s six-rider team time trials, where the 2012 and 2013 champions – including defending world road race champion Michal Kwiatkowski of Poland – will try to reclaim the title from defending champions BMC Racing.

    “I saw the course on Sunday and I have to say it will be pretty fast,” Quick Step sport director Tom Steels said. “It will be fast until the last climb, which is more or less in the last kilometer. It will be a tough finale. It will be really close.”

    BMC boasts Aussie Rohan Dennis and US standout Taylor Phinney while Green Edge offers Aussies Luke Durbridge and Michael Hepburn plus Canada’s Svein Tuft.

    In the individual time trial, Martin faces a challenge from Adriano Malori of Italy and Jonathan Castroviejo of Spain – both national champions – plus Dennis and Holland’s Tom Dumoulin.

    Germany’s Lisa Brennauer, the 27-year-old defending women’s individual time trial champion, will lead Velocio SRAM into a quest for a fourth consecutive women’s team time trial crown on Sunday.

    The former Specialised-lululemon squad also includes German Trixi Worrack, seeking her fourth team time trial gold in a row, and Canada’s Karol-Ann Canuel.

    They will be tested by three-time podium finisher Orica AIS, an Aussie-powered lineup with Amanda Spratt back from the past two years that also features Sweden’s Emma Johansson and Oceania time trial champion Katrin Garfoot.

    The road races will be staged September 26-27 with the men’s 259.2km layout offering no tough climbs but some cobblestones that could be costly for the careless.

    Slovakian Peter Sagan, hurt in the Vuelta a Espana, has a course that could favor if he’s healthy.

    Kwiatkowski will be in the hunt to defend while Norway’s Alexander Kristoff, German John Degenkolb and Belgian former winner Philippe Gilbert and countryman Greg van Avermaet are also in fray.

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