Michael Leonard, winner of the prologue at the Tour de l’Avenir, finished almost 6 minutes behind Iván Romeo at the under-23 world championships on Monday. Part of the delay stemmed from an illegal bike.
“The bike turned out to be illegal during a final check before the start. So, I began my time trial with a delay and didn’t want to get in the way of the other riders,” the 20-year-old Oakville, Ont., native explained to Cycling Pro Net. “My time trial was essentially over before I had even properly started. I’m obviously disappointed, for myself, the people around me, and those who came out to watch.”
Although still unsure about what was wrong with the bike, Leonard expressed disappointment for his supporters. “I must also apologize, as it is ultimately my responsibility to ensure my bike is in order,” he added. “What was wrong with my bike? No idea.”
In June, Leonard finished second at the national under-23 time trial championships. His time trialling skills shone again at the Tour de l’Avenir, where he won the prologue. “This summer, I felt a lot more relaxed and confident,” Leonard said. “I know a little bit better what I need to do to prepare myself, and also what I need to do to perform in races.”
Leonard wasn’t the only Ontario cyclist with a delayed start before the time trial.
Toronto’s Ashlin Barry, riding for USA Cycling, finished 9th at the junior world time trial championships after missing his start.
The 16-year-old, one of the top riders in his category, arrived at the start house ready to go, but at the last minute, a UCI commissaire noted that he had forgotten to measure his sock length. Although it was believed Barry’s socks had been measured beforehand and deemed legal, he was forced to lower them.
This last-minute check caused him to start 10 to 20 seconds late. France’s Paul Seixas won the race, finishing 41 seconds ahead of Barry. Estimates suggest Barry might have finished in the top five without the delay.
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