Full Gas ITT at Tour of China I

Race: Tour of China I, stage 4

Start/Finish: Chengdu Jintang/Chengdu Jintang

Distance: 3.3 kilometers

Chengdu Jintang, CHINA – Team Novo Nordisk raced the short fourth stage of the Tour of China I on Friday around the streets of Chengdu Jintang in an individual time trial.

Irish rider Stephen Clancy posted the top time for the American-registered team, completing the 3.3km course in 4:29, with an average speed of 44.1635km per hour.

New Zealand’s Joseph Cooper won the stage outright, riding the flat, technical course in just over four minutes to bring himself into second overall in General Classification. Liam Bertazzo of Italy finished stage four just behind Cooper and holds on to his overall lead ahead of Saturday’s travel day. Cameron Meyer of Australia rounds out the day’s podium in third.

Stephen Clancy:

“Tough day for us here, flat course and full-gas from the start. It rained on the course but we were going so fast we couldn’t really feel it.”

Team Novo Nordisk Sport Director Lionel Marie:

“Fourth rest day tomorrow to travel to stage five, the guys did well in the time trial and everyone in the peloton rode the course on regular road bikes.”

Team Novo Nordisk continues in the Tour of China I and II through next week, and is also racing in Europe at the Post Nord Danmark Rundt, also known as the Tour of Denmark.

Gallery:

Results: 

• Joseph Cooper 1^st : (IsoWhey Sport Swiss Wellness team) : 4:03
• Liam Bertazzo 2^nd : (Willier Trestina – Selle Italia) : 0:04 back
• Cameron Meyer 3^rd : (Mitchelton Scott) : 0:04 back

Team Novo Nordisk:

• Stephen Clancy 57^th : 0:26 back
• Chris Williams 58^th : 0:27 back
• Quentin Valognes 72^nd : 0:32 back
• Sam Brand 103^rd : 0:39 back
• Gerd De Keijzer 104^th : 0:40 back
• Mehdi Benhamouda 105^th : 0:41 back

(Photos: ©Anne Wu)