Cycling: Indurain in Obree's way

Graeme Obree, who claimed the world 4,000 metres pursuit championship last week, faces an encounter with Miguel Indurain in his search for gold in the World Championships time-trial in Colombia today.

Indurain, who won his fifth consecutive Tour de France in the summer, will be looking for his first world title, and hopes to make it a double in Sunday's world road-race championship.

The closest the Spaniard has come to a world title was two years ago in Norway, when he finished second in the road race behind the American, Lance Armstrong.

This time he is one of several serious contenders in both events, which are wide open because of the altitude, around 2,600 metres above sea level.

Indurain said he expects victory to go to the rider who can adapt best to the altitude. "Tactics will be the least important aspect here," he said. "There are no favourites in these competitions. Everyone is an unknown quantity."