We announce Trixi Worrack will lead our six-rider line up for the UCI team time trial (TTT) world championships. Worrack will lead Hannah Barnes, Lisa Brennauer, Elena Cecchini, Mieke Kröger and Alexis Ryan to the start line in Bergen, Norway on Sunday 17 September.

Five of the six riders who won silver in the 2016 championships in Doha will be part of the team’s roster, with young American Alexis Ryan consistently performing to merit what will be her first TTT world championships. Worrack, a four-time winner of the title, says although the team won’t go into Sunday’s race as favourites she is confident about our chances.

“A lot can happen in the TTT. Out of all the TTT courses I’ve done in the last five years I would have to say this is the most challenging because of the climbs. I expect that the weather will play a role too. We will give our best and I have a good feeling that we can achieve something nice,” declared Worrack.

The 42.5km course starting in Ravnanger moves south over the stunning Askøy bridge before winding north to finish in Bergen’s city centre. The course has two official climbs: the first a 600m 10% climb at Loddefjord and the second 3km 6% climb at Birkelundsbakken with pitches up to 16%. Constant undulations spotted with uncategorised climbs, two official climbs and a 600m long cobblestone section in the final kilometres altogether creates an unforgiving course.

Director Sportif Barry Austin has been putting the final touches on the team’s preparations this week in Bergen. “Since the TTT in Sweden we have seen good improvements in performance in the time trials in the Holland Ladies Tour and we are expecting some gains since then. I am very happy with our final preparations and the will and grit of our riders to give and be their best in Bergen.”

The TTT remains one of Worrack’s favourite races and she continuously reports that it’s a race that she can go over her limits for.

“It’s a race where you’re suffering together. It’s not one rider in the break and five teammates in the peloton.  It’s six teammates suffering from start to finish.  In training you become closer, you understand more and more what every other person is thinking, how they are feeling. You are all working towards that one goal. Everyone searching for what can be done better and how we can improve. You look even more for your teammates because there is this one goal, you want everyone to give their best.”

“I like this race so much because of that. Even if I’ve done it many times I am still getting nervous. I put more pressure on myself. I don’t want to let the team down so my performance has to be good,” said Worrack.

Nine teams will take part in the women’s TTT world championships on Sunday. Austin went on “As always we want to take to the start with an aim to win. The TTT world championships is one of the few times when the true sacrifice and efforts of a team in a race hold the possible reward of all members standing on the podium together sharing in the glory. That makes this coming weekend’s racing truly special.”

The first of nine teams in the women’s TTT world championships will start at 12:05 on Sunday 17 September. Follow the team’s social media channels for more details on our official start time and keep up to date on Twitter using #Bergen2017.

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