Charly Mottet, the great French rider of the 1980's and early 90's, knows a thing or two about time trials. He was a three-time winner of the Grand Prix des Nations (1985, 1987 and 1988), which preceded the World Championships. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /?>

"It proved to be very good courses for the time trials," he said of the long (21 km) and short (15 km) courses.

Mottet found the last part of the course the most interesting technically.   "The riders come off a descent and then they are into a sharp turn before the finish which is only a few hundred meters away.   It's very compressed."   He said European riders will be "surprised by their severity" of the time trial and road courses.

Mottet was in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /?>
Hamilton for the Nationals representing the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) to make technical recommendations to the UCI about the course and others aspects of the Worlds.

After watching the ITT competitions on the first day of the Canadian National Champions held June 27-29, Mottet pronounced the course worthy of international competition.   When the road races concluded on Sunday he said in an interview over the race public address system that "
Hamilton is ready."

Asked for his opinion on who should be favored for the Hamilton World Championships, Mottet said quickly and emphatically: "Bettini!" 

He explained that Paolo Bettini had won the Milan-San Remo race this past spring and appears to have recovered from a shoulder injury he suffered in the Ghent-Wevelgem race in April.

"He has a big punch!" Mottet said.

Mottet thinks that despite his problems, Jan Ullrich should also be considered a contender at the WC, especially the time trial.

Lance Armstrong?   "It's too early to tell.   First we have to see how the Tour [de France] finishes."

And what about Tyler Hamilton?   "He is a North American and therefore he will be strongly motivated.?

A
Hamilton race official who acted as Mottet's interpreter said, "Think of the headline, '
Hamilton wins at
Hamilton'"!

Mottet expects a strong contingent of European racing fans to make the trip to
Hamilton in October.   "This is an excellent place for people to come to see the whole region, especially
Niagara Falls .  From the point of view of racing, there are only three jerseys that count -- the yellow (of the Tour de France), the jersey of the WC and the jersey of a particular nation."