CYCLING/World Championships: Madrid will be the centre of attention when it hosts this week's world championships, though the build-up has been overshadowed by a bitter struggle within cycling's governing body.
All bar one of the members of the 17-strong International Cycling Union (UCI) management committee left Madrid on Monday and boycotted yesterday's opening ceremony in protest at what they call "the hostile attitude" of the Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC).
In the latest round of the struggle for power in world cycling, the RFEC has begun legal action that has effectively prevented UCI president Hein Verbruggen from presiding over the annual congress due to take place in Madrid on Friday to elect his successor.
The RFEC argues Verbruggen should not continue as president because of what it calls "manipulation of the electoral process" to choose his successor, justifying its decision to resort to legal action by a desire to "ensure the elections are impartial".
The political in-fighting has diverted attention from the action on the streets of Madrid, where some of the world's best specialists against the clock compete in tomorrow's 44km time trial and the one-day experts contest the 273km road race on Sunday.
Italy's Alessandro Petacchi is the hot favourite for the road race after winning five sprint-finish victories in the recent Tour of Spain, including Sunday's final stage, which took in part of the world championship route.
But Petacchi does not like the finish, which includes a hazardous hairpin 600 metres from the line and believes the race will be unexpectedly open.
"The design of the final kilometre is really ugly, really hard. Nobody should think this is an easy circuit," he said.
Petacchi and team-mate Paolo Bettini will face stiff opposition from the Spaniards, who have an excellent record in the worlds but have never won on home tarmac.
Three-time world championship Oscar Freire is out through injury, so the home team are pinning their hopes on silver medallist in Verona Alejandro Valverde, former winner Igor Astarloa and the unpredictable Miguel Angel Martin Perdiguero.
Valverde has not raced since injuring his knee in the Tour de France but there is no doubt he has the talent if fit.
Australia's Robbie McEwen, who took three stages on the Tour, and Belgium's Tom Boonen, winner of two Tour stages and the Paris-Roubaix, will also be challenging for the rainbow jersey.
The time trial around the city's Casa de Campo park should be even more tightly contested.
Australian Michael Rogers goes for a third successive crown but faces tough opposition from compatriot Bradley McGee, America's Bobby Julich, Michael Rich of Germany, Alexander Vinokourov of Kazakhstan and Russia's Denis Menchov.
Spain's Ruben Plaza, winner of the high-speed final time trial in the Vuelta, and Britain's Bradley Wiggins could also be in with a shout for the medals.
Among the women, world champion Judith Arndt of Germany is doubtful with a viral infection, which could leave the way open for Sweden's Susanne Ljungskog to win her third road-race rainbow jersey.
Three-time Tour de France winner and home favourite Joanne Somarriba would also dearly love to end her career on a high with a second world title in the time trial.
Today: Women's elite time trial (22 km) 8am-10.45am; Men's Under-23 time trial (37.9 km) 11am-3.30pm
Tomorrow: Men's elite time trial (44 km) 11am-3.20pm
Friday: Rest day
Saturday: Women's road race (126 km) 7am-10.30am; Men's Under-23 road race (168 km) 11.30am-4pm
Sunday: Men's elite road race (273 km) 8am-3pm
