Movistar proved that they are getting closer to the specialist teams in the team time trials when they finished 6th at the Worlds, just 16 seconds off the podium. Manager Eusebio Unzue is pleased with the performance as he strives to join the absolute elite in the special discipline.

The most special Worlds for Eusebio Unzué's structure, the first ones at home since 2005 in Ponferrada, saw the Movistar Team offering another good performance in a speciality they've made one of their biggest bastions. The Spanish squad took 6th place in the TTT World Championships, held over 57 kilometers of rolling roads in the Bierzo, where BMC Racing Team claimed the title with 31" over Belgian team OPQS - winner of the previous two editions - and 35" on Australian outfit Orica-GreenEdge. 

Though their sixth position repeats the achievement of the 2012 edition of the race in Limburg, the Movistar Team was this time only 51" away from glory, and respectively 20" and 16" off silver and bronze medals - 1'17" and 31" were the gaps two years ago. After their tenth place earned last year in Florence, the telephone squad's progression becomes evident, even more taking into account which riders were part of the block: only Erviti was older than 30, with Amador (28), Malori (26), Dowsett, Izagirre (25) and Sütterlin (20), the only one to lose contact halfway through the race, all in their twenties.

The Movistar Team's good performance allow them to keep a consistent lead in the UCI World Tour ranking, with 174 points over Tinkoff and 236 over BMC with only two races remaining: Il Lombardia (October 5) and the Tour of Beijing (10-14). Before that, Adriano Malori (ITA), Alex Dowsett (GBR) and Jonathan Castroviejo (ESP) will defend their national team colours on Wednesday during the individual team time trial of this year's Ponferrada Worlds.

"The result is what counts but there is a very positive signal which is the fact that we are only 20 seconds off silver medal while we were more than two and a half minutes off that mark one year ago," manager Eusebio Unzue said. "It is proof that the progression of the team in this discipline is good. Logically, those who have been faster than us, are great specialists and riders in great shape.

"I'm more satisfied with the time lost than the placing. I knew it was difficult, but we thought we could be in the top five and, although we were ready, we didn't expect to be so close to silver. We're building a very strong block to the specialty, with a young block with people like Sütterlin. Today he had to pay for his inexperience but he did very well in the first 25 miles and that is something important for the future. 

"On Wednesday comes the individual event and Dowsett and Malori, even Castroviejo, can do very well. Although it will be difficult to surprise with Martin and Wiggins who have been preparing for this race for a long time, our riders are good and when they have been at their best they have already shown that they are able to be with the big boys. At least we are going to maintain the illusion of the podium."