OPQS take world TTT glory

Omega Pharma-Quickstep: Held on to take the top spot in the team time trial

Omega Pharma-Quickstep put in a superb performance to claim victory in the World Championship team time trial event.

The Belgian squad rode well as a unit over the tough 53.2-kilometre course, finishing with all six riders at the finish in Limburg to win the inaugural running of the trade team showdown in a time of one hour, three minutes and 17 seconds.

BMC Racing came close in the challenge for the gold medals, precious seconds lost on the crucial Cauberg climb consigning the squad to second, 3.2 seconds back.

The most famous climb in Holland, the Cauberg caused problems for a number of teams as the crucial fourth timed man became distanced heading into the final kilometre.

Orica-GreenEDGE rounded out the podium 47 seconds back as the World Championship week kicked off with a tough undulating parcours.

Top honours

A new addition to the World Championship programme, 32 teams were in action from the top three tiers of international cycling in a bid to secure bragging rights for the next 12 months.

Six-man squads rolled down the ramp in Sittard-Geleen with at least four riders needing to still be in touch at the finish to stop the clock.

As the WorldTour teams began to arrive at the line it was Liquigas-Cannondale who went quickest early on, setting a benchmark time of 1:04:21 which would eventually be good enough for fourth spot.

Team Sky found the going tough on the day to place ninth at the finish after clawing back some time in the final split.

The contest quickly began to look like a two-horse race with Omega Pharma-Quickstep and BMC lighting up the time sheets.

In the end it was the combination of Tony Martin, Tom Boonen, Peter Velits, Kristof Vandewalle, Sylvain Chavanel and Niki Terpstra who took to the top step of the podium.