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

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.
 
May 12, 2010
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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.

m8puds.jpg
 
Jul 8, 2012
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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.
 
Profile of 2009 Giro for comparison's sake

T12_Riomaggiore_alt_FIN.jpg


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
 
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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...
 
Dec 27, 2010
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More Strides than Rides said:
Profile of 2009 Giro for comparison's sake

T12_Riomaggiore_alt_FIN.jpg


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!

map12.gif
 
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Not one of the hardest, but I remember watching it and it seemed quiet hard.

TDF 2005, stage 20 ITT 55.5k.

images


Winner: Lance Armstrong 1.11.46 (46.4 km/h)
 
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.
 
Bavarianrider said:
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.
 

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