Thursday 21 January 2016 13:00, UK
Vasil Kiryienka believes the difficulty of this summer’s Olympic time trial will bring more riders into contention than the usual small group of favourites.
The 59.6km course in Rio takes in two laps of the Grumari Circuit, which contains a 1.2km climb averaging seven per cent in gradient and a 2.1km climb averaging 4.5 per cent in gradient.
Chris Froome has been named favourite by Tony Martin, the former three-time world time trial champion and London 2012 silver-medallist, while Tom Dumoulin and Rohan Dennis have also been tipped as potential winners.
But Kiryienka, the current world time trial champion, thinks non-TT specialists could also mount a challenge for gold.
The Team Sky rider told Sky Sports: "Froomey is definitely one of the favourites, but if you consider the terrain and the difficulty of the time trial, it will not be just the usual candidates with a chance of winning.
"There will be other guys who can do really tough time trial courses who will come into contention.
"I am definitely not going to have the time or possibility to go out and see the course, but I have got a video and I think that is an advantage."
As well as the Olympic time trial, Kiryienka has an eye on the three individual time trials at May's Giro d'Italia. The first is 9.8km and flat, the second 40.4km and rolling, and the third 10.8km uphill.
However, the 34-year-old Belarusian's primary responsibility in 2016 will be to support Team Sky's leaders in stage races and he is determined not to put personal ambitions above those of the team.
He added: "I am starting this year as I would any other year, working hard for the goals of my team leaders.
"Of course, the Olympic time trial is a goal for myself, but I am also looking forward to helping to achieve the team's goals.
"My preparation for the Olympic will depend on what races I do after the Giro, and that will dictate the amount of specialist training I am able to do."
