COOKE AND POOLEY AIM FOR A MEDAL IN TIME TRIAL

Nicole Cooke and Emma Pooley may not be among the hot favourites for the Olympic Games time trial, but it?s still worth setting the alarm to see if they can win another medal for Britain.

Pooley is one of the early starters, setting off at 4.38am, with Cooke starting third from last at 5.14am (UK time).

The women?s time trial kicks off at the unsociable time of 4.30am for us here in Britain and is scheduled to finish at around six.

Ideal for postmen, security guards on night shifts and insomniacs, perhaps. Less so for those who have to get up for work.

But after Sunday?s thrilling finish to the road race Cooke?s confidence will be sky high. Pooley has been preparing specifically for this event, honing her time trialling skills in the belief that the 11-kilometre hill on the course will make her a contender.

Don?t forget Pooley was eighth in the World Championships in Stuttgart last year, on a course that favoured her much less than this one is likely to.

And the last time Cooke rode the World Championship time trial, in 2006, she was fifth.

Live coverage on BBC?s interactive service via the red button and on Eurosport

Set the alarm for: 4.25am, come on, you can do it people

How long is it on for? 4.30am to 6am

The race: A small field of just 24 riders will tackle one lap of the hilly 23.5-kilometre circuit used for the weekend?s road races

Start times (all BST)

4.30am Alexandra Wrubleski (Canada)

4.32am Lang Meng (China)

4.34am Natalia Boyarskaya (Russia)

4.36am Edita Pucinskaite (Lithuania)

4.38am Emma Pooley (Great Britain)

4.40am Maryline Salvetat (France)

4.42am Emma Johansson (Sweden)

4.44am Min Gao (China)

4.46am Karin Thürig (Switzerland)

4.48am Marianne Vos (Netherlands)

4.50am Zulfiya Zabirova (Kazakhstan)

4.52am Linda Melanie Villumsen Serup (Denmark)

4.54am Judith Arndt (Germany)

4.56am Tatiana Guderzo (Italy)

4.58am Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (France)

5.00am Mirjam Melchers-Van Poppel (Netherlands)

5.02am Priska Doppman (Switzerland)

5.04am Oenone Wood (Australia)

5.06am Marta Vilajosana (Spain)

5.08am Kristin Armstrong (USA)

5.10am Susanne Ljungskog (Sweden)

5.12am Christiane Soeder (Austria)

5.14am Nicole Cooke (Great Britain)

5.16am Christine Thorburn (USA)

5.18am Hanka Kupfernagel (Germany)

RECENT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

A look back at the last three World Championship time trials give an indication of which riders could do well. Kupfernagel, the 33-year-old reigning world champion, struggled on the course during the road race, as did Kristin Armstrong. Judging by the road race, Austria?s Christaine Soeder could be one to watch.

2007, Stuttgart

Distance: 25.1km

How many of the top ten are here in Beijing?

1st Hanka Kupfernagel (Germany)

2nd Kristin Armstrong (USA)

3rd Christiane Soeder (Austria)

5th Christine Thorburn (USA)

6th Priska Doppman (Switzerland)

7th Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (France)

8th Emma Pooley (Great Britain)

9th Karin Thürig (Switzerland)

2006, Salzburg

Distance: 26.1km

How many of the top ten are here in Beijing?

1st Kristin Armstrong (USA)

2nd Karin Thürig (Switzerland)

3rd Christine Thorburn (USA)

4th Priska Doppman (Switzerland)

5th Nicole Cooke (Great Britain)

6th Zulfiya Zabriova (Kazakhstan)

7th Judith Arndt (Germany)

2005, Madrid

Distance: 21.9km

How many of the top ten are here in Beijing?

1st Karin Thürig (Switzerland)

3rd Kristin Armstrong (USA)

4th Judith Arndt (Germany)

6th Zulfiya Zabriova (Kazakhstan)

7th Mirjam Melchers-Van Poppel (Netherlands)

8th Christine Thorburn (USA)

10th Edita Pucinskaite (Lithuania)

After Fabian Cancellara?s stunning ride in the closing kilometres of the road race, who would bet against him winning the time trial?

Cycling Weekly has placed all its eggs in the Swiss rider?s basket, only to end up with egg on its face (if that isn?t too many eggy analogies?). During the Tour de France we simply couldn?t see him being beaten in the Cholet time trial, yet up popped oval-headed Stefan Schumacher to spring a surprise.

The German is among the A-list of favourites which should also include Cadel Evans, Alberto Contador, Denis Menchov, Levi Leipheimer and possibly Michael Rogers.

There is a string of riders who could spring a surprise and take a medal, such as Kiryenka, Bodrogi, Larsson, Clement, Belohvosicks and Zabriskie.

On paper the Swiss should be celebrating gold, but we?ve been proved wrong before.

Britain?s only rider is Steve Cummings, who will draw on his excellent eighth place in the final time trial at the Giro d?Italia earlier this year. However, this is a longer, tougher test, so a place in the top 15 would be considered a fine result.

How long is it on for? 6.30am ? 10.30am

The race: Two laps of the 23.5-kilometre circuit used for the weekend?s road races

Start times (BST)

6.30am Matias Medici (Argentina)

6.31am Fumiyuki Beppi (Japan)

6.33am Hossein Askari (Iran)

6.34am Svein Tuft (Canada)

6.36am Matija Kvasina (Croatia)

6.37am David George (South Africa)

6.39am Vasil Kiryenka (Belarus)

6.40am Matej Jurco (Slovakia)

6.42am Denys Kostyuk (Ukraine)

6.43am Steve Cummings (Great Britain)

6.45am Brian Vandborg (Denmark)

6.46am Raivis Belohvosciks (Latvia)

6.48am Robert Gesink (Netherlands)

7.30am Simon Spilak (Slovenia)

7.31am Rein Taaramae (Estonia)

7.33am Andriy Grivko (Ukraine)

7.34am Ryder Hesjedal (Canada)

7.36am Andriy Mizurov (Kazakhstan)

7.37am Przemyslaw Niemec (Poland)

7.39am Maxime Montfort (Belgium)

7.40am Vincenzo Nibali (Italy)

7.42am David Zabriskie (USA)

7.43am Laszlo Bodrogi (Hungary)

7.45am Chris Anker Sorensen (Denmark)

7.46am Bert Grabsch (Germany)

7.48am Denis Menchov (Russia)

8.30am Samuel Sanchez (Spain)

8.31am Santiago Botero (Colombia)

8.33am Marzio Bruseghin (Italy)

8.34am Michael Rogers (Australia)

8.36am Vladimir Karpets (Russia)

8.37am Kim Kirchen (Luxembourg)

8.39am Gustav Larsson (Sweden)

8.40am Levi Leipheimer (USA)

8.42am Stef Clement (Netherlands)

8.43am Alberto Contador (Spain)

8.45am Cadel Evans (Australia)

8.46am Stefan Schumacher (Germany)

8.48am Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland)

RECENT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

A look back at the last three World Championship time trials gives an indication of which riders could do well.

2007, Stuttgart

Distance: 44.9km

How many of the top ten are here in Beijing?

1st Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland)

2nd Laszlo Bodrogi (Hungary)

3rd Stef Clement (Netherlands)

8th Andrey Mizourov (Kazakhstan)

9th Vasil Kiriyenka (Belarus)

2006, Salzburg

Distance: 50.8km

How many of the top ten are here in Beijing?

1st Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland)

2nd David Zabriskie (USA)

4th Brian Vandborg (Denmark)

6th Vasil Kiryenka (Belarus)

8th Michael Rogers (Australia)

9th Andriy Grivko (Ukraine)

2005, Madrid

Distance: 44km

How many of the top ten are here in Beijing?

1st Michael Rogers (Australia)

3rd Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland)

9th Matias Medici (Argentina)

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