World Time Trial Champion Tony Martin won the individual time trial at the inaugural Tour Of Beijing today.
This new race on the UCI calendar and backed by ASO, saw an 11.3km time trial around the Olympic Park from the Bird's Nest Olympic Stadium which was the centrepiece of the 2008 Olympics to the Water Cube.
Team Sky's Alex Doswett was the early leader of the 147 strong field, setting a time of 13 mins and 58 seconds before the German came in twenty four seconds quicker, closely followed by Brit David Millar (pictured below).
Millar's second place and Dowsett's third rounded off a good day for the Brits as Chris Froome finished fourth and Steve Cummings finished fifth.
Ireland's Nicholas Roche was 14th, Ireland's Philip Deignan 64th with Jeremy Hunt 116th.
"The TT was ridden on normal race bikes with no TT helmets or full wheels," said HTC sport director, Allan Peiper to the HTC Press Office, "But it was a fast course but with a strong tail wind out, a technical mid-section and a head wind back in for the eleven point three kilometers."
"Tony was confident and relaxed at the start, wearing his World TT Champion skinsuit for the first time. He started fast and just kept developing speed running through the final head wind kilometers with the speedometer nudging 60kph constantly. "A great start for HTC and with no bonifications on the road and an advantage over Millar of seventeen seconds the team will defend the red leaders jerseys with a strong team to back Tony Martin."
Stage two is from Bird's Nest Olympic Stadium to Men Tou Gou and is 137km long.
Picture copyright of Covsupport News Service. Credit CNS/KM