Tony Martin delivers a World Champion performance

World TT Champion Tony Martin ©Copenhagen 2011

Sep 22nd, 11. Tony Martin had a brilliant ride to take the elite men's TT Gold medal in Copenhagen today.

As the second to last rider on the start list before Switzerland's four time TT World Champion Fabian Cencellara, the 26 year old German set the fastest time at every check point

He finished 1m15s ahead of silver medalist, Bradley Wiggins (GB). Cancellara could not match Martin and ended the day with the 3rd best time, a further 5sec back from Wiggins.

"To me it was really important to come into the race and to find a good rhythm. Today I had really good legs, the speed was really high and everything was perfect," Martin said just after his golden performance.

"I think I found the perfect way to prepare for a one day time trial with the Vuelta, and I felt really, really confident and I think I will prepare the same way for the next Worlds."

After two bronze medals (2009 and 2010), Martin now joins fellow countrymen Jan Ullrich (1999 and 2001) and Bert Grabsh (2008) as a TT World Champion victor.

"It was cloudy, looking like it could rain at any moment, but we were lucky the road stayed dry and I could hit the corners faster. I was able to catch up to David Millar (GB) which was motivating, but my morale going into the race today was quite high. I felt great from the start," he said.

Martin's average speed of 51.8 kph is the fastest in World Championship's history, beating Cancellara's speed from 2009 by 0.2 kph.

Not a great day for the great Cancellara

Podium (l-r) Wiggins, Martin, Cancellara ©Copenhagen 2011

Cancellara, the 30 year old four time Time Trial World Champion said he did not have his best day today.

"We are not machines and if we don't perform 100% we can't win. That's how cycling is," he said.

"The feeling I had on my bike today doesn't correspond to the feelings of the last few days.

"To be World Champion, everything needs to be 100%. In the Tour, the Classics and in Worlds, you have to be 100% or it doesn't work out. There's always someone waiting to be better," he said on his Leopard Trek team website.

"Martin was super strong and absolutely deserves the win.”

"I wasn't concentrating well in this corner and perhaps I took one risk too much," he said. "My hand is okay, and I certainly didn't lose the race here," he acknowledged.

The Swiss admits disappointment at the result but is already looking forward.

"People in all sports that have dominated a discipline, like Roger Federer or Valentino Rossi, become great champions because they win often, but they also sometimes lose. What makes these people different is that they don't give up. I don't plan to give up anytime soon."

The elite men's time trial was the last of that disciplines at these World Championships. After a rest day the event moves from Copenhagen city to Rudersdal, north of Copenhagen, for the road race competitions.

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