Team Columbia powered to the top two places in the Tour of Austria’s crucial time trial on Saturday thanks to German Bert Grabsch and Norwegian Edvald Boassen Hagen. In the 26 kilometre time trial in Podersdorf, Grabsch finished 43 seconds ahead of his team- mate Boassen Hagen and 45 ahead of Dane Michael Blaudzun.

Time trialling success is not new for either Columbia rider - both Grabsch and Boassen Hagen are reigning national champions in the speciality. Grabsch also won a time trial in the Tour of Spain last year and Boassen Hagen the time trial in the Criterium International this March.

It was my kind of course, flat, wide roads and not technical at all.” Grabsch, who rode with a 56x11 gearing and caught three riders en route to victory, said on Saturday evening.

"The only problem was the heat - 33 degrees. Normally I have problems with that but I seemed to be able to handle that ok.”

He said he was not surprised by his win - “after all, I’m national time trial champion and it was a good course for me.”

"It was so short there were no tactics and no time references for me - just going 100 percent from start to finish. My time trial bike, a new one, was also perfect for the job.”

Grabsch added that it would be good preparation for the Olympic Games which he will be targeting in August.
“I’m going to rest for 10 days after this, ride the Tour of Saxony which has a 35 kilometre time trial in it, then I’ll be focussed on Beijing.”

"It’s hilly for sure, but my form is good, and last year in the World’s at Stuttgart I got fourth, so I know I can do well on tough circuits as well as flatter ones.”

Referring to  Mark Cavendish victory and Gerald Ciolek’s second place in the Tour de France stage to Toulouse, Grabsch said “It was a very special day for Columbia - it’s not often a team wins in two races at the same time, even less frequent to get the top two placings in both!”