Worlds ITT podium ignites Vine’s rainbow jersey ambition

"This was my chance to really go and deliver a good ride," Vine said to Cyclingpro.net after his performance on the challenging course that featured steep climbs and cobbled sections.

His preparation deviated from the original plan when he was called to race the Vuelta a España just weeks before the championships in Rwanda. Instead of completing a three-week training camp in Andorra specifically for the time trial, Vine had to adapt.

"When the job requires you to go to the Vuelta, you don't say no," he explained. "It wasn't the most ideal prep, but I ended the Vuelta in better condition than last year."

Vine's meticulous approach to the race day strategy proved crucial to his success. After reconning the course the day before, he completely changed his pacing plan.

"We'd originally planned to go out harder at the start, but we rapidly changed to conserving energy early on," he revealed. "We needed to empty ourselves in the cobbles and the last climb."

His analysis showed that riders could lose up to 20 seconds in the final cobbled section alone if they didn't have enough power left. This insight guided his measured effort throughout the race.

"I don't listen to checkpoints. I just try and execute my plan in my TTs," Vine said. "I was able to deliver a really nice ride. I'm really proud of it."

Unlike some competitors, including Remco, Vine appeared to grow stronger as the race progressed. His disciplined approach paid dividends on a course that punished those who started too aggressively.

Looking ahead, Vine has his sights set on the ultimate prize in the discipline he loves most.

"I'm hoping for a rainbow jersey in my future. It's my favourite discipline," he stated. "To stand on that podium with rainbows and the national anthem playing would be a dream, an absolute dream."

Vine's medal comes one year after he was part of the podium-placing mixed relay team at last year's World Championships.