Sunweb on fire in Worlds TTT

Men’s and women’s squads both triumphant in Bergen

Team Sunweb kicked off the Road World Championships week with a storming performance in the team time trials, becoming the first trade team in the modern era to win both men’s and women’s races.

The men finished the 42.5km course from Ravanger to Bergen in 47.50, beating fancied BMC and Team Sky into second and third place respectively. Reigning champions Quick Step Floors were fourth.

The Sunweb women rode the course in 55.41, ahead of reigning champions Boels-dolmans and Cervélo-bigla.

Having never podiumed before in the event, it was an unexpected coup for the German outfit, and rounded off a stellar season that includes victories in the Giro d’italia with Tom Dumoulin, the green jersey and polka-dot jerseys in the Tour de France courtesy of Michael Matthews and Warren Barguil, and a win at the women’s Tour of Flanders by Coryn Rivera.

A stiff climb at 30km added a technical challenge to the course and put paid to at least one team’s chances when Team Sky shedded both Owain Doull and Geraint Thomas, who described the experience as “the worst time trial in my life”.

“It’s crazy, first the women this afternoon and then us,” said a delighted Tom Dumoulin. “The team was so homogenous, it was absolutely amazing. Normally you’d say that I was the best time triallist on paper but with this team it was so smooth. We tried to keep it together, especially on the long climb with around 10km to go, which just worked out. We were all flying.”

Ellen van Dijk added: “It was a really tough course and it was so important not to over-pace on the climbs. We kept it really smooth and it was feeling good all the way. We used each other’s strengths all the way and we took the win, which is incredible.”

Leah Kirchman was equally elated: “YES! That’s it — unbelievable! It’s double gold, men’s and women’s World TTT champions! What a day!” she tweeted.