In this morning’s edition of the CyclingTips Daily News Digest: BMC wins world championships team time trial; Velocio-SRAM win a fourth consecutive Worlds team time trial; Sean de Bie wins the Primus Classic Impanis – Van Petegem; Bouhanni sprints to victory at Grand Prix d’Isbergues; Diego Ulissi claims victory at the Memorial Marco Pantani; Michal Golas wins the Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen; Joe Cooper wins men’s National Capital Tour; Ruth Corset wins the women’s National Capital Tour; Leigh Howard to move to IAM Cycling?; Museeuw still feels ‘wronged’ by persisting omertà; Cavendish confirms withdrawal from world championships; Danny van Poppel leaving Trek after losing team’s confidence; Reddit Ask Me Anything with Orica-GreenEdge’s Dan Jones; Japan Cup Cycle Road Race promo; Adventures of The Graveled High Roleur; What it takes to prepare for a Worlds TTT.

BMC wins world championships team time trial

by Shane Stokes

The BMC Racing Team has successfully defended its team time trial title at the Road World Championships in Richmond, finishing 12 seconds ahead of Etixx-Quick-Step and 31 seconds ahead of Movistar.

The American squad was quickest throughout the race, covering the 38.8km in 42:07 — an average speed of 55.3km/h. The victory was particularly sweet for Taylor Phinney, who returned in recent weeks from a near career-ending accident during the 2014 US nationals. He went through a very difficult time but now has a world championship medal to his credit.

Rohan Dennis, Silvan Dillier, Stefan Kung, Daniel Oss and Manuel Quinziato were also part of the six-man lineup.

The day brought disappointment for the Tinkoff-Saxo squad, with the squad finishing last after triple world time trial champion Michael Rogers and Michael Valgren hit the deck during the test, and the team ended up losing any chance of success.

Team Sky crashed heavily during training the day before but went on to finish ninth in the event.

Click here to read more at CyclingTips.

Velocio-SRAM win a fourth consecutive Worlds team time trial

by Anne-Marije Rook and Jessi Braverman

Earlier in the day, Velocio-SRAM continued its unbeaten run in world championship team time trials, wining a fourth-straight title in Richmond. It is the only team to win the event since it returned to the Worlds in 2012.

The team covered the 38.8km course in a time of 47:36, an average speed of 48.9km/h. The last team to finish, Velocio-SRAM displaced Boels-Dolmans from the virtual top step of the podium by a mere six seconds. Rabo Liv rounded out the podium 56 seconds off the winning team.

“We had a strategy,” Karol-Ann Canuel (Velocio-SRAM) told Ella CyclingTips. “We had seen the course. We knew exactly what we wanted to do, and we did what we wanted to do. We focussed on ourselves and our race – not on the times we were ahead or the times back. We didn’t concentrate on anyone but ourselves so that we can do what we needed to do, and I think that’s what worked for us.”

For the last three years, Velocio-SRAM’s win in the team time trial had seemed almost inevitable. The German-registred squad, racing previously as Specialized-lululemon, has been such a dominant force in the collective race against the clock that until last month no team had proven capable of mounting a serious challenge against them. Which was why it was such a surprise when Rabo Liv not only challenged but beat Velocio-SRAM at its own game and climbed to the top step of the podium in the team time trial at the Vårgårda World Cup.

When Boels-Dolmans came within three seconds of doing the same, it was clear that the team time trial at the World Championships would be hotly contested for the first time.

Click here to read more at Ella CyclingTips.

Sean de Bie wins the Primus Classic Impanis – Van Petegem

Lotto Soudal’s Sean de Bie has taken the biggest win of his young career, winning the HC-classified one-day Belgian race, Primus Classic Impanis-Van Petergem. The 23-year-old Belgian attacked inside the final kilometre and was able to hold off the peloton by a single second at the end of 199.2km. Dimitri Claeys (Verandas Willems) and Floris Gerts (BMC) led in the bunch.

The early running was made by a four-man break which featured Alessandro De Marchi (BMC), David De La Cruz (Etixx-QuickStep), Julien Morice (Europcar) and Brian Van Goethem (Roompot). The quartet led for much of the race, being caught with just 6km to go. De Bie opened up a gap under the flame rouge and was able to hold on for victory.

The victory is De Bie’s second of the year after he won a stage of the Tour de Luxembourg back in June.

1. DE BIE Sean Lotto Soudal 04:31:14 2. CLAEYS Dimitri Verandas Willems Cycling Team 0:01 3. GERTS Floris BMC Racing Team -

Bouhanni sprints to victory at Grand Prix d’Isbergues

Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis) has received a much-needed confidence boost with less than a week before he represents France in the world championships road race, winning the Grand Prix d’Isbergues on home soil.

Bouhanni sprint naar winst in GP Isbergues http://t.co/iMQ5QvdKS2 pic.twitter.com/IqW42hBjlN — De Telegraaf (@telegraaf) September 20, 2015

Bouhanni benefitted from a strong lead-out from his Cofidis squad before sprinting to victory in Isbergues ahead of Michael Kolar (Tinkoff-Saxo) and Kiwi Shane Archbold (Bora-Argon 18).

While the Frenchman has now racked up an impressive 10 wins for the year, he’s also had an unlucky run. Bouhanni crashed out of the Tour de France, the Vuelta a Espana and last week’s GP de Wallonie. He’ll be hoping his run of bad luck is at an end for this year.

1. BOUHANNI Nacer Cofidis, Solutions Crédits 04:37:45 2. KOLAR Michael Tinkoff - Saxo - 3. ARCHBOLD Shane Bora-Argon 18 -

Diego Ulissi claims victory at the Memorial Marco Pantani

Diego Ulissi has taken victory in the one-day Memorial Marco Pantani race in Cesenatico over the weekend, leading in an all-Italian podium at the end of the 199.5km race. Ulissi reached the finish line with Giovanni Visconti and Vincenzo Nibali with the latter two allowing Ulissi to cross the line first.

All three riders were racing for the Italian national team on the day rather than their trade teams. The trio broke clear of the peloton on the Montevecchio climb with more than 60km left in the race and were able to hold off the peloton to finish more than 30 seconds clear.

The win is Ulissi’s second for the season after winning stage 7 of the Giro d’Italia. He is set to represent Italy at the world championships road race in Richmond on Sunday.

1. ULISSI Diego Lampre - Merida 04:39:23 2. VISCONTI Giovanni Movistar Team - 3. NIBALI Vincenzo Astana Pro Team -

Michal Golas wins the Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen

Michal Golas (Etixx-Quick-Step) was declared the winner of a wet Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen earlier in the weekend after Jens Debusschere (Lotto Soudal), who crossed the line first, was relegated after this run-in with Dylan Groenewegen (Team Roompot).

Golas, Debusschere and Groenwegen had been sprinting for the line in a six-rider lead group at the end of the 192km race when Groenwegen hit the barriers hard, fracturing his patella in the process. The race jury deemed that Debusschere had veered from his line and thus gave the victory to Golas.

“I’m happy about this victory. It wasn’t an easy final with the rain. It makes me proud to wear this jersey,” Golas said. “I am a Polish guy, but I am riding for a Belgian team. I like this country and the people who really love cycling. This victory also shows that I’m on the right way for the Worlds. I have worked hard to do well.”

1. GOLAS Michal Etixx - Quick Step 04:27:59 2. TRUSOV Nikolay Tinkoff - Saxo - 3. STIEN Adrian Aas Team Joker -

Joe Cooper wins men’s National Capital Tour

Back in Australia, Joe Cooper (Avanti) has won the men’s National Capital Tour, the latest race in the Subaru National Road Series.

Cannondale-Garmin signee Patrick Bevin (Avanti) won the stage 1 individual time trial ahead of fellow New Zealander and teammate Joe Cooper with CharterMason-Giant’s Dan Fitter in third.

Lucas Hamilton (VIS) took a solo victory on the uphill finish to Corin Forest, beating Ben O’Connor (Navitas Satalyst Racing) and Pat Lane (African Wildlife Safaris) by more than 35 seconds. That result put Hamilton into the overall lead but he would abandon the following stage due to injury, as Josh Taylor (CharterMason-Giant) beat Pat Lane and Matt Clark (Avanti) to win stage 3. Joe Cooper moved into the overall lead after finishing in the main bunch.

And on the final stage Olympic and Commonwealth Games track cyclist Scott Sunderland (Budget Forklifts) showcased his sprinting prowess, claiming the stage four criterium ahead of teammate Sam Witmitz. Joe Cooper again finished in the bunch to finish five seconds ahead of teammate Matt Clarke and six seconds ahead of Pat Lane on the general classification.

The men’s Subaru National Road Series now heads south, with riders tackling some of the Apple Isle’s toughest terrain at the Tour of Tasmania from October 6-11.

Click through for results from the men’s 2015 National Capital Tour.

Ruth Corset wins the women’s National Capital Tour

In the women’s National Capital Tour, Ruth Corset (Total Rush Hyster) has won her second yellow jersey in three years after taking victory on stage 1 and holding it through to the end.

Corset won the stage 1 ITT just three seconds ahead of Ainslie Bakker (Queensland Academy of Sport) with Rebecca Wiasak (High5 Dream Team) third. The NRS individual aggregate leader then finished in a seven-rider lead group in the stage 2 road race; a stage that was won by Lauren Fitzgerald (SUVelo) ahead of Lucy Bechtel (Bicycle Superstore) and Justine Barrow (Building Champions).

One the final day of racing hometown favourite Rebecca Wiasak won both stages on offer, taking out the morning’s road race ahead of Lucy Bechtel and Ashlee Ankudinoff (Subaru NSWIS NKC) and the afternoon criterium ahead of teammate Kendelle Hodges and Ruth Corset in third.

Corset’s stage 1 victory and her consistency throughout the remaining stages saw her finish 13 seconds clear of Ainslie Bakker and 29 seconds ahead of Lucy Bechtel, further extending her lead in the NRS individual aggregate standings.

The women’s Subaru National Road Series concludes with the Tour of the Goldfields, from October 23-25.

Click through for results from the women’s National Capital Tour.

Leigh Howard to move to IAM Cycling?

Cyclingnews reports that Leigh Howard is set to join IAM Cycling in 2016 after four years spent racing with Orica-GreenEdge.

IAM Cycling has not yet officially confirmed the news but the team’s sports director Rik Verbrugge said a deal was on the verge of completion.

“We’re in a transition year so we’re focusing on young riders, so ones that can perhaps help Matteo Pelucchi, like Leigh Howard, with the leadout and then some young riders,” Verbrugge told Cyclingnews.

Click here to read more at Cyclingnews.

Museeuw still feels ‘wronged’ by persisting omertà

Three-time Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix winner Johan Museeuw might be pushing 50 but the Belgian still looks back with some frustration at his career and the omertà which still exists in the peloton today.

“I took drugs because everyone took them back then. But is it fair that only me and other familiar faces like [Lance] Armstrong and [Michael] Boogerd now serve as sinners? I think not,” said Museeuw in a Q and A with De Zondag. “It makes me feel wronged. Even today I see riders in the peloton who also rode back then, but they remain silent

“It was inevitable in that period. I only regret that not everyone has confessed. I understand that people were disappointed. Fortunately, they also realise that everyone fought with equal resources and they still see me as the champion of my generation.

“Let me say that in my time, maybe two per cent of riders didn’t take EPO. Edwig van Hooydonck is one of them. But everyone else was on the same track. With the difference that they remain silent and for me that was no longer an option. That confession was for me a salvation.”

Click here to read more at Cyclingnews.

Cavendish confirms withdrawal from world championships

The Great Britain team has confirmed that Mark Cavendish won’t take part in the Road World Championships this coming week after sustaining a shoulder injury at the Tour of Britain. Cavendish hit a parked car on stage 6 of the race, landing on and injuring his shoulder in the process.

“It’s a real blow for Mark to have to pull out of this year’s race as we thought he had a great chance of being successful,” said Great Britain Cycling Team, Technical director Shane Sutton. “Unfortunately the injury he sustained during last week’s Tour of Britain is more serious than we had hoped. We wish him well in his recovery,”

“It’s a problem with the AC joint, nothing is broken but with the joint there has been a displacement,” Cavendish told Cyclingnews. “At the Tour I had a grade four separation, which meant that all three of the ligaments had ruptured and it needed surgery. This doesn’t need surgery but it’s a similar injury to what I had last year and what Tom Boonen had in Paris-Nice.”

Click here to read more at Cyclingnews.

Danny van Poppel leaving Trek after losing team’s confidence

Despite winning a stage of the Vuelta a Espana just the other week — the biggest victory of his career — Danny van Poppel is set to leave Trek Factory Racing after reportedly losing the confidence of team management.

The 22-year-old was hoping to stay on and continue racing alongside his brother, Boy, but the latter “was offered a new contract and I was not. They want to keep Boy there to lead out the sprints,” Danny van Poppel told the Brabants Dagblad. “The team manager (Luca Guerlina) didn’t have much confidence in me any more.

“I had to go. None of the rest of the team gets it. I don’t understand it myself.”

Click here to read more at Cyclingnews.

Reddit Ask Me Anything with Orica-GreenEdge’s Dan Jones

The man behind Orica-GreenEdge’s terrific Backstage Pass videos, Dan Jones, has taken part in a Reddit Ask Me Anything session, answering questions for cycling fans. Among the interesting answers was a description of how Jones’ day unfolds at a race like the Vuelta where he’s producing and publishing a new video every stage. Here’s an excerpt:

“ At the Vuelta you wake up at about 8am. Most of the time I skip breakfast so I can take an extra hours sleep. Then take the team bus to the start. I like to ride on the bus as thats where I go around and talk with the riders and try and gather some story ideas for the BSP. Then they do the team meeting and after that I get all my pre race grabs. On the stage ride in the car with Stevo and try and get some sleep early on as I am usually pretty cooked from editing the night before. Then stage finish, get all the post race grabs and start cutting all the footage together. Some nights we didn’t get back to the hotel till like 9pm which sucks. I was finishing the edit of the clips at about 12.30-1am. Then upload to FB and Youtube and days done at about 2-3am. Alarm at 8am. Groundhog day!

Click here to read the whole AMA.

Japan Cup Cycle Road Race promo

The Japan Cup Cycle Road Race is coming up in just under a month’s time. It’s a race that’s twice been won by Australia’s Nathan Haas (Cannondale-Garmin), who took victory in 2011 and again last year. Here’s a short promo video for the race.

Adventures of The Graveled High Roleur

This video from sock and accessories brand DeFeet is a good bit of fun.

What it takes to prepare for a Worlds TTT

This is another great video from the team at Wiggle Honda, shot over the past week in the lead-up to the women’s TTT at the Richmond Worlds. Wiggle Honda went on to finish fourth in the event.

What You Missed

And finally this morning, here are a few things you might have missed at CyclingTips in the past few days:

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Today’s feature image comes from Cor Vos.