Speed of Light is back for the final WorldTour night of 2017, the Team Time Trial. 

After last week’s rain out, we’re chopping the Random Relay to make sure we get in the Team Time Trial. An annual point of pride for local teams, it’s a chance to earn some bragging rights for a full year. ERSB has won it all three years the event has been contested, but they may well be starting without Ryan Kennedy as “Mr. President” looks to this weekend’s Ore2Shore.

Hagerty Cycling, M22, McLain Race Team, Norte, Keen, and kolo t.c. all have riders committed to this Thursday’s race. Riders on the WorldTour standings will have to decide whether to go all-in and try to grab the full 20 points on offer for first place, or work together as a team and grab 10, 8, 6, 4, and 2 bonus points based on their team’s finish. That result will be based on the team’s third placed rider’s time. In years past, ERSB has always rode together, and it’s proven to be the best way to pick up points overall.

Next week, the final Grand Tour of 2017 gets under way with the Vuelta Competition. Four full stages this year, it’s the last chance for riders to take a Grand Tour win to cap off the season. It’s also one for the climbers, with two Mountain stages offering double points over the Boonenberg. The Points classification is a challenge, too, with the segment based off the GO! segment for the first time this year.

The updated WorldTour standings are up here.