Photo gallery: The women's races against the clock at Worlds

The 2017 UCI Road World Championships are in full swing in beautiful Bergen, Norway. With the races against the clock now completed, all eyes are on the weekend when the elite women and men will vie for the most prestigious symbol in cycling: the rainbow jersey in the road race.

But before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s glance back at the events of the past few days. Our photographers were onsite to capture the pinnacle event of the season.

Team Time Trial

The women’s team time trial was the kickoff event of the 2017 UCI Road World Championships, and Bergen showed all its beauty as the sun shone kindly and fans welcomed the riders all along the course.

The only event of the week-long championships to be contested in trade teams instead of national teams, all eyes were on the dominant Boels-Dolmans to defend their team time trial title. Earlier this year, the Dutch-registered squad was victorious in the discipline at the Healthy Ageing Tour, Giro Rosa and Vårgårda. The rainbow stripes, it seemed, were theirs to lose.

But teams like Sunweb, Cervélo-Bigla and Canyon-SRAM had been nipping on Boels’ heels for a bit now, and the lower podium spots would be hotly contested.
Few would have predicted the upset at the hand of Team Sunweb however. But the white-and-black squad of TT-specialist Ellen van Dijk did just that, beating the defending champs by 12 seconds. Cervélo-Bigla rounded out the podium, 28 seconds down from Sunweb.

Race report here.

1.	Team Sunweb	00:55:41
2.	Boels - Dolmans Cycling Team	00:55:53
3.	Cervélo-Bigla Pro Cycling	00:56:09

Defending champs Boels-Dolmans warms up for the TTT.

Anna van der Breggen warms up for the team time trial with fresh race nails.

Boels-Dolmans along Bergen’s iconic Bryggen street.

Team Sunweb on their way to gold.

Boels cresting a climb on the course.

Team Sunweb coming across the finish with four riders remaining.

Cervelo-Bigla gave it their all.

Boels riders had given it their all, but came 12 seconds short

Already a four-time TTT world champion, Ellen van Dijk was stoked to win again with her new team.

DS Hans Timmermans embraces his team in celebration.

Individual Time Trial – Junior Women

Italy again topped the podium at the junior Women’s individual time trial on Monday, Sept. 18th, this time taking both the gold and silver medals. Eighteen-year-old Elena Pirrone followed up her European champion TT title with the rainbow stripes while compatriot Alessia Vigilia completed the 16.1-kilometre course just 6 seconds slower. Australia’s Madeleine Fasnacht rounded out the podium.

1.	PIRRONE Elena	00:23:19
2.	VIGILIA Alessia	0:07
3.	FASNACHT Madeleine	0:43

Elena Pirrone (Italy) celebrates as she sets the best time of the day, becoming junior world champion.

Elena Pirrone (Italy) is absolutely wiped after her effort.

Elena Pirrone celebrates her gold medal ride with her parents alongside the course.

Italy goes 1-2 in the junior women time trial.

Individual Time Trial – Elite Women

Leading up to the women’s individual time trial at the Bergen world championships, the talk was dominated by two questions: will anyone be able to upset the Dutch squad? And will the weather hold?

Held on a course with sharp turns, a fast downhill and some cobbles, riders feared wet conditions. At the time of first rider Lauren Stephens’ (USA) start, the rain seemed to hold off but late starters wouldn’t be so lucky.

This was in favour of Anna van der Breggen, who was second to take to the 21.2-kilometre course, and who experience a mere drizzle on the far end of the course while her competitors faced much slipperier roads.

Finished while half the riders still had to start, Van der Breggen sat in the hot seat and anxiously watched on as her biggest competitors were among the last to start.

The first serious contention came from young American Chloe Dygert who had started just before Van Vleuten. The former junior world champion would come in a mere 25 seconds behind Van der Breggen. But just seconds after her pink booties crossed the finish, Van Vleuten crested the corner. Sprinting with all her might, the noise was deafening as fans banged the boards welcoming her in. The clock was ticking but not fast enough for Van der Breggen, who looked deflated as Van Vleuten punched the air. It may have been too soon to celebrate but she was confident with her result.

Eighteen riders later, no one was able to meet Van Vleuten’s pace, and Van Vleuten got her confirmation: she is the new world champion.

Race report here.