It’s time for the World Championships and we’ve already had a few races. We have the tears, the disappointment, the joy, the Ganna dancing … oh yeah. Tuck in!
The calm before the storm
After the Tour of Britain finished, it felt like Twitter had gone quiet …
Stocking up on snacks for the Worlds
— Paul Tomblin (@XcskiPaul) September 16, 2021
The deluge
But then we all kicked back into action for the men’s ITT race on Sunday.
Hi-diddly-ho cyclists. #bruges #timetrial pic.twitter.com/xZBE0cW36H
— Thibault Viaene (@ThibaultViaene) September 19, 2021
Wout was deadly serious. Pog, not so much.
Two very different vibes pic.twitter.com/o1xyYeO9Yw
— The TT Podcast 🚴♂️ (@ttpdcst) September 19, 2021
For Belgians, it was like this:
Translation: “The World Championships time trial was a 48-minute free-ride without a climax”
"Het WK tijdrijden was een vrijpartij van 48 minuten zonder climax"https://t.co/78A9Ww8eLu pic.twitter.com/5s4HjY5pNz
— Sporza 🚴 (@sporza_koers) September 20, 2021
What a shot.
📷 Jan Ysebaert pic.twitter.com/0nczrGhmQC
— Tomas Van Den Spiegel (@tomasvds) September 20, 2021
Unfortunately for Wout, Filippo Ganna turned on the power again this year and Wout took silver again
If you lose at something try to be Wout Van Aert. pic.twitter.com/DGxtkJ4JSU
— Cycling out of context (@OutOfCycling) September 19, 2021
Wout van Aert is fed up of the colour silver https://t.co/dToGgXxykx pic.twitter.com/BkppEzlXjS
— The Cycle Collective (@cyclecollective) September 19, 2021
Remco Evenepoel had been in the hot seat for some time, until WvA kicked him off. But Remco took bronze and was pretty chuffed!
Third place in time trial at World Championships feels like victory for Evenepoel https://t.co/2Er08wmAbf pic.twitter.com/GHaoSBLpRB
— The Cycle Collective (@cyclecollective) September 19, 2021
All the emotions ✨👊 @EvenepoelRemco #Flanders2021 pic.twitter.com/orVylJAhqZ
— UCI (@UCI_cycling) September 19, 2021
Evenepoel would have won the u23 TT by 35 seconds on his pace yesterday for the route 13km longer. And is younger than the winner by a year. And is 17kg lighter (25kg lighter than 3rd!).
— Rob Sharland (@sharl4nd) September 20, 2021
When Ganna is in full flow, my, is he astounding.
54.37kmh.
Over 43.3km in Flanders, Filippo Ganna put in the fastest time trial in World Championship history.
What a start to the 2021 World Championships 🌈
Photo: Simon Wilkinson/ Getty Images pic.twitter.com/4QQOAZ5o3g
— Rouleur (@rouleur) September 19, 2021
This is perhaps astounding in a different way. 🙂
— Cycling out of context (@OutOfCycling) September 19, 2021
Issie seems to have really thought about this list.
I'd be rubbish at doing these, my list would simply be
1. Filippo Ganna
2. Filippo Ganna
3. Filippo Ganna
4. Filippo Ganna
5. Filippo GannaAnd I'm just not sure I'd get away with it? https://t.co/hB54AYgNPS
— Issie 💙 (@IssieAtch) September 18, 2021
Women’s ITT
Emotional jubilation for Ellen van Dijk
The hot seat wait pays off for van Dijk!
Great win for the Dutchwoman! #sbscycling #couchpeloton #Flanders2021 pic.twitter.com/QyFZZxpWuo
— CyclingCentral (@CyclingCentral) September 20, 2021
TT Frauen #Flanders2021
🌈 Ellen Van Dijk
🥈 Marlen Reusser
🥉 Annemiek van Vleuten🇩🇪 Lisa Brennauer 5.
🇩🇪 Lisa Klein 7.— cyclingmagazine (@radsportmagazin) September 20, 2021
Ellen van Dijk promises to enjoy her world title this year more than last time she won: “I’ve been chasing this jersey since 2013” pic.twitter.com/DwfCWOXIb0
— Andrew Hood (@EuroHoody) September 20, 2021
Men’s U23 ITT
The Danes seem to have a lock on the U23 rainbow
How it started How it’s going#Flanders2021 pic.twitter.com/eXXAi9P7n0
— Benji Naesen (@BenjiNaesen) September 20, 2021
Look how much it means to the new U23 Time Trial World Champion Johan Price-Pejtersen 🌈
🇩🇰 It's an emotional win for Denmark – just days after former Danish champion Chris Anker Sorensen tragically passed away ❤️#Flanders2021 pic.twitter.com/1ZKlujwU5r
— Eurosport UK (@Eurosport_UK) September 20, 2021
Men U23 ITT Podium
🥇@johanprice 🇩🇰
🥈@lucasplapp 🇦🇺
🥉@florianvermeers 🇧🇪#Flanders2021 pic.twitter.com/ZmSZXYBJfo— UCI (@UCI_cycling) September 20, 2021
The Danish cycling factory producing young time trialists pic.twitter.com/b92KLHilsH
— Dr Headgear (@DrHeadgear) September 20, 2021
4 in a row. Forget about slovenia. Water in Denmark is a lot better 😀 https://t.co/NXLhUL9hB2
— Bruno Santos (@brusosantos) September 20, 2021
Junior Women’s ITT
🌈 Alena Ivanchenko 🌈
Pushing it to the limit to claim those rainbow stripes 🥇#Flanders2021 pic.twitter.com/BJHff8bvbC
— UCI (@UCI_cycling) September 21, 2021
Congratulations Alena, Zoe and Antonia https://t.co/IWqhSfCrAx
— CANYON//SRAM Racing (@WMNcycling) September 21, 2021
📰 RACE NEWS p/b @supersapiensinc 📰
A race that came right down to the wire set the scene for Alena Ivanchenko to add the World title to her recent European TT title today at #Flanders2021.
Read more about the junior ITT here ➡️ https://t.co/VkoYupiKVV pic.twitter.com/A3rY6TxaOk
— Voxwomen (@Voxwomen) September 21, 2021
Tony Martin bows out with some power
Tony Martin has won the ITT rainbow jersey four times – tied with Fabian Cancellara for most wins – and has owned the German national ITT champs jersey since winning for the first time in 2010. The only year he hasn’t won that nat champs jersey was in 2011 – otherwise, he’s had the lock on it. But just before the Worlds, he announced that he was retiring for the sport altogether.
The four-time individual TT world champion bows out of discipline with best performance in five years: 'I think I will get a bit more emotional when I’m alone.'#Flanders2021https://t.co/MVCNPoGHhW
— VeloNews (@velonews) September 20, 2021
Tony Martin after finishing 6th place in his last individual time-trial at World Championships as pro:
"But I was more in time trial mode than goodbye mode – that will come later." (Cyclingnews)#Flanders2021🌈
— ammattipyöräily (@ammattipyoraily) September 19, 2021
Tony Martin will retire next week after 14 years as a pro. His palmares:
4xWorld ITT Champion
11xNational ITT Champion
7 Grand Tour stages
3xTour of Belgium
2xVolta ao Algarve
2xTour of Beijing
Paris-Nice
Eneco Tour— CafeRoubaix (@CafeRoubaix) September 19, 2021
Tony Martin's 6th today was a real highlight for me — he was the don of time trial for a long time, and it was great to see he still had a lot of the old style still intact. #Flanders2021 https://t.co/l6v6odGlbu
— Michael Hutchinson (@Doctor_Hutch) September 19, 2021
Never seen anything as methodical as Tony Martin making a sandwich when at Katusha. Crusts removed, of course, possibly with a scalpel. Never thought a snack could be so intense.
— James Witts (@james_witts) September 20, 2021
The Gruppetto
Seriously love that kit …
Hey there
Not the way I expected to start this World Champs.
First of all, thank you so much for your messages to check on me, I am ok.
Due to unexpected reasons during my warm up for the ITT I could not take the start.
All my focus is now on the road race next Friday 👊🏽 pic.twitter.com/odNOiShOoY— Henok Mulubrhan (@henokmulubrhan) September 20, 2021
And speaking of kits
Strudel Boy!
— Win White (@wsquared3d) September 20, 2021
There will be a Mrs Pog soon
Oh, I do dare say!
Possibly the most fun vlog I’ve filmed to date. Mainly down to @AndreGreipel telling us about the size of his package. Also the second part of the Tour of Britain behind the scenes 👉🏻 https://t.co/2LobcQQSMo pic.twitter.com/NYGoiHXZU8
— Alex Dowsett (@alexdowsett) September 19, 2021
Other races, other places
He literally jumped into the arms of the soigneur!
Relive ISN’s very first moments after the victory of @Itamar_Einhorn.
This groundbreaking victory was an early birthday present for Itamar, who’s celebrating his 24th birthday today!
Let’s wish him a happy birthday!#YallaISN pic.twitter.com/vyJNB2pp7S
— Israel Start-Up Nation / Israel Cycling Academy (@TeamIsraelSUN) September 20, 2021
First trip to his hometown race and seals it up with an overall victory & a collection of jerseys 🥇 Cheers Peter!
📸 @BoraHangrohe #Ride100Percent#Cycle #Champ #S3#100PercentReady#HowMuchEffortDoYouGive https://t.co/W7APT8853K pic.twitter.com/tgtdj5tk1n
— 100% (@ride100percent) September 19, 2021
The last word
Translation: Sweet, thoughtful, good friend. It’s unbearable to think that we’ll never see each other again. You were always there for everyone else, even when you did the greatest things for yourself in your life and in your career. Rest in peace, Chris Anker Sørensen. There is no comfort, only love.
Søde, betænksomme, dygtige ven. Det er ubærligt at tænke på, at vi aldrig skal ses igen. Du var der altid for alle andre, selv når du gjorde de største ting for dig selv i dit liv og i din karriere. Hvil i fred, Chris Anker Sørensen. Der er ingen trøst, kun kærlighed. pic.twitter.com/xHC5a8jRIk
— Brian Nygaard (@nygaardbn) September 18, 2021