Which was the hardest ITT in a professional race in the last 20 years?

[Eshnar]

Title is quite clear. I'm pretty sure the hardest in the last 10 years was Riomaggiore @ Giro 2009, unless I missed something huge, but I don't have a great memory of the '90s, probably there were more?

PS: Not Mountain TTs.

 

[burning]

I agree with Giro 2009 unless someone puts a harder route in 90's

 

[Lanark]

The 1997 Tour time trial in Saint Etienne was crazy as well, with a 13 km climb in it. Ullrich beat the number two with more than 3 minutes.

 

[Eshnar]

The 1997 Tour time trial in Saint Etienne was crazy as well, with a 13 km climb in it. Ullrich beat the number two with more than 3 minutes.

this is a good one Hard to decide whether it was harder than 2009 or not...

 

[DominicDecoco]

Wednesday was one of them.

 

[Eshnar]

Wednesday was one of them.

a bit short maybe.

 

[Falken]

The Mont Ventoux time trial muste have been quite hard. 21.6k climb, no resting point, just up and up, and when they get over the three line there is the wind that can be quiet hard.

 

[Eshnar]

The Mont Ventoux time trial muste have been quite hard. 21.6k climb, no resting point, just up and up, and when they get over the three line there is the wind that can be quiet hard.

yes but it was a Mountain Time Trial.

 

[Falken]

yes but it was a Mountain Time Trial.

Oops, sorry I missed your note.

 

[More Strides than Rides]

Profile of 2009 Giro for comparison's sake

2009: ~16k at just under 4%, then 7.5k at 6.8%,

1997: more than 8.5k at 6.9%, plus other rolling hills

When in the tour was the 1997 TT? The Riomaggiore TT came after a rest day, mountains (including sestriere) into pinerolo, and a flat stage, in that order

 

[Netserk]

I know it isn't the hardest, but that Tour in general and this specific ITT was really great, plus the weather only added more greatness to it:

Albi - Albi 54km (tour '07):

 

[airstream]

 

[Eshnar]

NOT MTT

 

[Falken]

TDF 1997 stage 12 ITT 55k.
Winner: Ullrich 1.16.24 (avs. 43,193 km/h)

Giro 2009 stage 12 ITT 60.6k
Winner: Menchov 1.34.29 (38.483 km/h)

The Giro ITT was brutal, over one and half hour...

 

[El Pistolero]

Stage 1b of the Giro d'Italia 1987.

 

[Eshnar]

Stage 1b of the Giro d'Italia 1987.

Not hard but definitely crazy

Btw,
How long were your last 20 years?

 

[will10]

Profile of 2009 Giro for comparison's sake

2009: ~16k at just under 4%, then 7.5k at 6.8%,

1997: more than 8.5k at 6.9%, plus other rolling hills

When in the tour was the 1997 TT? The Riomaggiore TT came after a rest day, mountains (including sestriere) into pinerolo, and a flat stage, in that order

The profile doesn't quite do that TT justice, though. There is barely a 10 metres of straight road the whole route (which I rode a lot of last year - it's a b1tch!). The map puts things into perspective!

 

[airstream]

NOT MTT

elevation in chamrousse tt is less than in the tt menchov won

 

[Parrulo]

the 09 giro itt was simply a work of art, magnificent.

certainly the tougher of the last 10 years, of the last 2 i don't know tho

 

[Eshnar]

elevation in chamrousse tt is less than in the tt menchov won

Ok, there's need to define a MTT.

MTT = A TT whose finish is consistently higher than its start.

 

[El Pistolero]

Not hard but definitely crazy

Btw,
How long were your last 20 years?

You can't have a thread about time trials without mentioning the Poggio downhill time trial.

 

[Falken]

Not one of the hardest, but I remember watching it and it seemed quiet hard.

TDF 2005, stage 20 ITT 55.5k.

Winner: Lance Armstrong 1.11.46 (46.4 km/h)

 

[Bavarianrider]

1994 Clusez- Avoriaz is certainly up there. Does anyone find a profile of it?
However, there is no such thing like a hard or an easy TT in reality.
A TT means riding as fast as possible, no matter if it is flat or hilly or mountain. You always ride what is possible for you. No relacing whatsoever. Therefore, how hard a TT is simply depends on how long you have to work during that TT.
I think no TT beats Clusez - Avoriaz in that field.
More than 1:22 hours of hard work. (winner)
Overall Grio 2009 was a bit longer, but it had ldownhill section. .
Talking a bout pure effort Avoriaz was certainy harder.

Other notable mentions
Bordeau - ST Emilion 1996 1:15 hour of real effort (winner)
Disney Land Paris 1997 1:15 hour real effort (winner)
Saim Amont Mondrad 2001 1:14 real effort (winner)
Luexenbourg 1992 1:19 real effort (winner)

Had you said of the last 21 years, the hardest one would have without a doubt been Argentan - Alencon 1991: 1:35 hour of real effort (winner)

Oh boys what an outrage there would be on this forum if we had TTles like this one again.

 

[Eshnar]

However, there is no such thing like a hard or an easy TT in reality.
A TT means riding as fast as possible, no matter if it is flat or hilly or mountain. You always ride what is possible for you. No relacing whatsoever. Therefore, how hard a TT is simply depends on how long you have to work during that TT.

Shouldn't you take into account other factors like for istance, how many times you have to change pace? A long straight TT could be easier than a twisty one.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Shouldn't you take into account other factors like for istance, how many times you have to change pace? A long straight TT could be easier than a twisty one.

Of course that can be a factor, too., But it's hard to judge that, as we usually don't have any maps of TT of the 1990es available.