UCI Road World Championships: Tobias Foss upturns the favorites to claim elite men’s time trial

This article originally appeared on Velo News

Tobias Foss started the UCI Road World Championships time trial as a far-outside favorite and came home with a rainbow jersey Sunday.

The Norweigan ace bettered Stefan Kung (Switzerland) and Remco Evenepoel (Belgium) to score a surprise world title and win his first pro race outside of his national championships.

“It feels like I’m in some kind of dream, I don’t believe it, it’s so unreal,” Foss said.

“I got the signals, my legs were really good and I was confident my shape is good, but this is more than I could ever dream of. I will try to enjoy it but first I have to realize it.”

Kung had looked poised to unseat Foss only to suffer late into the course and miss the Norweigan’s time by just two seconds. Evenepoel ended up nine seconds back in third.

Double defending champion Filippo Ganna started strong but was reeling through the back end of the hilly, twisty 34km track in Wollogong and missed the medals altogether. The Italian stallion finished seventh, 56 seconds back.

Young talents saw their rides derailed by misfortune.

British hope Ethan Hayter was blazing through the course when a dropped chain forced him to change bikes deep in the middle of his ride. The 24-year-old kept cool for fourth overall.

U.S. star Magnus Sheffield was on track for the second-fastest time when he crashed into the barriers in the final sector and finished 17th.

Foss, 25, long promised big things but his ride Sunday came from far off the radar.

Recent trips to the Giro d’Italia with trade team Jumbo-Visma saw the Norwegian amass a series of strong stage results and 9th overall in last year’s race.

Despite being known as a strong time trialist, Foss rolled down the ramp in Wollongong overshadowed by stars like Ganna and Evenepoel. Instead, Foss ripped up the form book to deliver Norway its first elite time trial world title.

“If I had been top-10 today I’d have been really satisfied,” he said. “And even top-five I was hoping for, so to wear that rainbow jersey will be really special. I will try to honor it as best as I can, but I will for sure enjoy it as best as possible.”

World Championships ME - ITT Results

• Time Trial

Results provided by ProCyclingStats.

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