Izu (Japan) (AFP)

Filippo Ganna, the current master of the time trial, will not necessarily have the easy part on Wednesday at the Olympic Games, where the rugged course could favor runners who are less powerful but more comfortable on the slopes than the Italian.

"It is not a very flat time", warns Rémi Cavagna, the French champion of the discipline who hopes to get out of the game: "I think there will be surprises and that it is not a pure roller who will win. He will be someone who will pass the climbs well and manage his effort well ".

The 44.2 km of the course (two 22.1 km loops) indeed have a total elevation gain of 846 m.

The finish will be judged at the Mount Fuji circuit, 120 km from Tokyo, where Richard Carapaz triumphed in the road race on Saturday.

- Van Aert for a second medal -

Among the ladies, the Dutch - who were promised all victories - will want to make up for their terrible disappointment on Sunday, when they were trapped by the Austrian Anna Kiesenhofer, who started with a breakaway from the first kilometers.

Anna van der Breggen, bronze medalist in the time trial at Rio-2016, and Annemiek van Vleuten, very disappointed with her second place in the road race, will be among the big favorites.

As in the online race, Juliette Labous will be the sole French representative.

# photo1

Filippo Ganna, reigning world champion and winner this season of two Giro time trial stages, remains the logical favorite among men, if he manages to manage the climb of almost 5 kilometers (maximum gradient of 6 %) who will probably be the justice of the peace in this ordeal.

His main opponent on paper should be Wout van Aert.

Already a silver medalist in road racing, the Belgian remains in the time trial with a prestigious victory in the penultimate stage of the Tour de France.

And a few bumps to overcome are not likely to scare this all-terrain rider, as comfortable in the mountains as in solo effort.

- Rain and freshness -

Another rider to watch is the Swiss Stefan Küng, who would succeed his compatriot Fabian Cancellara in the event of a victory.

Küng will not necessarily be favored by the profile of the course, but he came to Japan with big ambitions: "I missed the Rio Games because I got injured six weeks before, today it's a dream that becomes reality. To be honest, I am not here for the Olympic spirit: participating is not a victory. I have high ambitions, especially in the time trial, "he said. cited by his Groupama-FDJ team.

Slovenian Primoz Roglic, who beat all specialists in the Tour of the Basque Country time trial in the spring, will also be on the starting line with medal hopes.

On the French side, Cavagna will be the only French representative, but he too arrives full of confidence after his title of champion of France: "it's rather a good course, says the Auvergnat, I have done it several times, the legs are the."

# photo2

For him, as for all the runners who are specifically prepared for the hot and humid conditions expected in Japan in July, the weather may however hold a surprise: the arrival of a tropical storm in the Tokyo region caused heavy rains and very noticeably cooled temperatures.

© 2021 AFP