Price-Pejtersen now also UCI Road World Champion after European Championship win
Monday 20 September 2021
They were 68 in all, the U23 men who raced their individual time trial at 10.40 on Monday morning. They rolled off the starting ramp in Knokke-Heist for a 30.3 km ride to ’t Zand in Bruges. The best time at the finish was set by the Dane Price-Pejtersen, who after his victory at the European Championships now also took the rainbow jersey.
It was not long before the first fast time came in at the initial intermediate point. The American Magnus Sheffield put in a rock-solid performance in the first part of the race. No one would beat his time in Oostkerke. But, at the next intermediate point, it appeared that Sheffield had not planned his race as well as the competition. The Australian Lucas Plapp set the best time both at the second intermediate point and at the finish.
The home crowd was able to rely on a strong compatriot, just like yesterday. Florian Vermeersch rode a solid time trial, but just missed the time set by the Australian Plapp. The difference was less than two seconds at ’t Zand in Bruges. In the meantime, Plapp nervously watched the last rider on the course: it was the favourite Price-Pejtersen.
Freshly crowned European Champion, Price-Pejtersen relieved the tension in no time. When the Dane turned onto ’t Zand with a lead of over half a minute, Plapp knew he would not take first place on the podium during the ceremony. In the end, Price-Pejtersen was 10 seconds faster than Plapp. Florian Vermeersch was the third racer to step onto the podium in Bruges.
