'It's unbelievable', Foss wins time trial world title

SYDNEY :Norwegian Tobias Foss stunned everyone, including himself, by winning the men's time trial at the road cycling world championships in Wollongong on Sunday to take his first global title.

The 25-year-old clocked 40 minutes 02.78 seconds over the twisting two-lap 34.2 km circuit around the coastal city some 80 km south of Sydney and then waited as a string of feted champions completed the course.

None of them was able to better his time, however, with Swiss Stefan Kueng coming up 2.95 seconds short to take the silver and Belgian Remco Evenepoel, fresh from his Vuelta a Espana triumph, third in 40:11.94.

"It really feels like I'm in some kind of dream, I don't believe it, it's so unreal," said Foss, who will wear the rainbow jersey for the next year.

"My legs were really good and I was confident my shape was good shape but man, this is more than I can ever dream of.

"I'll really try to enjoy it but first I must realise it."

Italian Filippo Ganna, who was looking for a third straight title, finished seventh behind twice Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia in sixth.

The rider who will be most cursing his luck was Briton Ethan Hayter, who finished fourth nearly 40 seconds behind Foss despite losing his chain riding over a bump in the road and having to change bikes in the middle of the race.

It was the first time that the women and men had competed on the same world championship time trial course over the same distance on the same day and Ellen van Dijk earlier retained her title.

The 35-year-old Dutchwoman clocked 44 minutes 28.60 seconds over to pip early starter Grace Brown of Australia by 12.73 seconds and claim her third world title. Swiss Marlen Reusser won bronze to add to her silvers from the last two