Tobias Foss pulls a shock

Norwegian takes unexpected time trial victory

- Tom Davidson

With a star-studded start sheet containing some of the world’s best time triallists and defending world champion Filippo Ganna, Tobias Foss wasn’t expecting too much.

The 25-year-old, who rides for Jumbo-Visma, had hoped for a top-five finish but will now be packing a rainbow skinsuit in his suitcase when he flies back to his native Norway from the World Championships in Wollongong, Australia. Foss had only three pro wins to his name when he lined up for the race, all of them in the Norwegian National Championships – two of them in the time trials – and started 40th of the 51 competitors.

By the end of the race he’d shocked himself. He said: “This is unbelievable. If I were a top 10 today I would be really, really satisfied and even top five I was hoping for.”

The first Norwegian to win the time trial at the World Championships had edged out favourites Stefan Küng of Switzerland and Remco Evenepoel of Belgium into second and third spot. Just off the podium, and rueing what could have been, was Brit Ethan Hayter, who suffered a mechanical in the first half of the race but still finished a tantalising 39 seconds behind the winner – close enough to have been in with a chance with a smooth run.

Foss, still reeling from the impact of his win, added: “[We had] really good coaching and we prepared really well, so it was a perfectly executed race,” the Jumbo-Visma rider said.

“To wear that jersey will be really, really special and I will try to honour it as good as I can,” he continued, choking up in front of the cameras. “I will, for sure, enjoy it as much as possible.”