CANYON//SRAM Racing: Lisa Brennauer fifth at Chrono Champenois in France

Image: ©Velofocus

CANYON//SRAM Racing today competed at the Chrono Champenois International individual time trial in Bétheny, France. Lisa Brennauer was the team's best placed rider in fifth. The UCI 1.1 race had 24 starters and was won by Katrin Garfoot (OGE) in a time of 44 minutes and 33 seconds for the 33.4km course.

It was the 26th edition of the invitational time trial and for recent years it has always been on the same course. It is renown for riders using it as part of their final preparations before the Road World Championships that are now just over four weeks away. Brennauer finished one minute and one second behind Garfoot.

"I went into the start with good speed and I soon found my race. It was a good race to focus only on myself as I was the third starter and we didn't have any split times of the other riders already. I felt that my legs were not fresh after all of the racing I've done the last two weeks but I still could push quite good. I found some parts where I knew I could take a very short breath to then be able to push even harder on sections where in my eyes the biggest time gains could be made."

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Brennauer, who just finished the six day Holland Ladies Tour followed by the four day Lotto Belgium Tour doesn't feel her result today is a true indication of her form. "The result is hard for me to judge. I came from two stage races in a row and I definitely didn't feel recovered after just one day of rest in between. However, I had hoped that I could still do a good result and not be that far off the winning time."

Tiffany Cromwell placed sixth and was one minute fifty three seconds behind the winner while Elena Cecchini finished ninth. After the race Cromwell said "It's always a pretty tough TT and there's no faking your way though it. Long, exposed, dead roads with not too many corners. You either have legs or you don't. It was completely different conditions to last year. There was no wind, it was warm and sunny which did make the course slightly nicer."

"For me personally I thought that I did a decent time trial. There were a couple of times where I felt like I was struggling but I tried to keep good cadence through those periods and for the most part I was able to keep my power and keep a good rhythm."

"It was a strong field this year and I was a little bit off the fastest times but after coming off Lotto Belgium tour where I didn't have great legs and still recovering from a heavy training crash sustained last week it was a good marker to see where my form was at and a general good solid work out. I'm content with my race and know I can build on it further," said Cromwell.

The team now has a break from racing until two one day races in Italy, Giro dell'Emilia and the Gran Premio Breghelli on 24 and 25 September.

by Beth Duryea / duryea@wmncycling.com

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