CYCLING/World Championships: David O'Loughlin got the Irish campaign at the World Cycling Championships in Madrid underway yesterday but was unable to realise his target of a top 20 placing in the Elite time trial.

The Mayo rider had an off day and finished back in 38th, completing the 41.1 kilometre distance in a time three minutes 52.09 seconds off that of the winner Michael Rogers.

The Australian made history in becoming the first rider to win three Elite world time trial championships, beating José Ivan Gutierrez Palacios (Spain) by 23.77 seconds and bronze medallist Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland) by almost the same margin, 23.89.

"I expected to be in good condition," Rogers said.

"I had an extra motivation as I had a chance of becoming the first person to win three in a row. This year has been a little bit up and down for me. But with this result, it is certainly a very good year. I'm really happy to be in first position again, especially as this is my first win of the season."

The Ireland Grant Thornton rider will be hoping to turn things around in the Elite road race on Sunday along with David McCann and former world junior champion Mark Scanlon. Before then, Siobhán Dervan goes in the Elite women's road race tomorrow morning. Once that race is over, Philip Deignan will lead a five-man team in the under-23 road race, being supported by Paídi O'Brien, Ryan Connor, Andrew McQuaid and Michael Concannon.

Meanwhile, Ireland's Pat McQuaid is favourite to take over from Hein Verbruggen as president of the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) in the elections which will be held this afternoon. McQuaid has been groomed as the Dutchman's successor for the past two years but his candidacy was put under threat when former board member Sylvia Schenk accused the Irishman of receiving payment for his work with the UCI, contrary to the constitution of the governing body.

Both McQuaid and Verbruggen rejected the charges, saying that the money received was in the form of allowable expenses. A complaint by Schenk to the IOC ethics committee was thrown out this week, clearing the way for McQuaid to go forward for election as planned.

He will be up against Spaniard Gregorio Moreno and the Malaysian Darsan Singh Gill this afternoon, with Verbruggen expected to withdraw his own candidacy at the last minute. He had put his name forward again in case McQuaid was prevented from running through a legal challenge.

ELITE MEN'S INDIVIDUAL TIME TRIAL (44km)

1 Michael Rogers (Aus) 53mins 34.49secs

2 Jose I Gutierrez Palacios (Spn) at 23.77secs

3 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) at 23.89

4 Ruben Plaza (Spn) at 44.06

5 Alexandr Vinokourov (Kaz) at 1min 20.24

6 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) at 1:29.00

7 Bradley Wiggins (Bri) at 1:31.60

8 Sebastian Lang (Ger) at 1:35.32

9 Matias Medici (Arg) at 1:37.07

10 Victor Hugo Pena (Col) at 1:41.27