Norway's Foss 'in A Dream' After Shock World Time-trial Victory

Wollongong, Australia, Sept 18 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Sep, 2022 ) :Norway's Tobias Foss said he was in "some kind of a dream" after pulling off a huge upset Sunday to dethrone two-time defending champion Filippo Ganna and claim a maiden men's time-trial title at cycling's road world championships in Australia.

The 25-year-old conquered the 34.2 kilometres (21.2 miles) circuit in 40min 2.78sec to edge Swiss powerhouse Stefan Kung by 2.95sec.

Belgium's Remco Evenepoel, fresh from winning the Vuelta a Espana Grand Tour this month, was 9.16sec adrift in third on the opening day of the championships at Wollongong, 80 kilometres (50 miles) south of Sydney.

Italy's Ganna, the current standard bearer in time-trial racing, started strongly on the hilly and twisty circuit as he sought to match Germany's Tony Martin and Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara as a three-time winner.

But the 26-year-old tired and faded to finish seventh, 56sec off the pace.

Slovenia's two-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar, who is not a pure time trial specialist, came sixth.

Jumbo-Visma rider Foss won the Tour de l'Avenir in 2020, but was not among the favourites and admitted he was stunned by the win.

"This is some kind of dream, I don't believe it, it's so unreal," he said after ripping up the form book to claim the rainbow jersey.

"My legs were really good ... I was confident I was in good shape, but this is more than I can dream for.

"If I had been top-10 today I'd have been really satisfied. And even top-five I was hoping for, so to wear that rainbow jersey will be really special."