In the men’s race, Etixx-QuickStep returned to the top step of the podium to claim their third gold medal in the five years since the event was introduced, and first since 2013, with a time of 42.32.

Defending back-to-back champions BMC Racing were 12 seconds down, claiming silver, while Orica-BikeExchange rounded off the podium with a time of 43.09.

Team Sky, with Ben Swift and Geraint Thomas in their six-strong team, finished just outside the medals in fourth – 17 seconds off the podium – while Alex Dowsett’s Movistar team were off the pace as they finished sixth in 43.43.

Riders were critical however of the decision to hold the event in Qatar, where temperatures reached 38 degrees during the event.

The 31-year-old, among the favourites for the men’s individual time trial, was joined by Bob Jungels, Marcel Kittel, Yves Lampaert, Niki Terpstra and Julien Vermote; Etixx-QuickStep recording an average speed of 56.426km/h.

The time trial action continues through the early part of the week in Doha, with the women’s elite race on Tuesday (October 11) and the men racing on Wednesday (October 12).