Olympics 2012: Top 10 Favorites to Win Wednesday's Cycling Time Trial

Wednesday's men's cycling time trial will most likely be the final meaningful event for most of the world's top cyclists as they try to end their season on top.

The time trial presents Great Britain with a great chance to win their first gold medal of the Olympics with two strong favorites in Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome.

After missing out on the gold in the road race with sprinter Mark Cavendish, the Brits will be looking for much better luck in the time trial.

Wiggins and Froome are not the only favorites going into Wednesday's event.

There are plenty of other riders who could pull an upset just like Kazakhstan's Alexander Vinokourov did in the road race on Saturday.

Fabian Cancellara

There is nothing that Fabian Cancellara has not won when it comes to the time trial.

The man nicknamed "Spartacus" is the defending Olympic champion in this event and has many other titles under his belt.

The Swiss rider is the most decorated time trialist in the field, with four world championships, seven national championships and numerous stages in the grand tours, including the Prologue of this year's Tour de France.

The one thing that will possibly play a difference for Cancellara on Wednesday is his bruised collarbone that he suffered in the road race after crashing into a barrier.

Tejay Van Garderen

America's best hope in the time trial is 23-year-old Tejay Van Garderen.

Van Garderen is coming off a fifth place finish in last month's Tour de France. He also won the young rider classification at the race.

He surprised a lot of people when he outperformed his own teammate, 2011 Tour de France winner Cadel Evans, in the time trial stages in France.

In the two time trials in France, van Garderen finished fourth and seventh respectively.

Taylor Phinney

The other American hopeful in the time trial is 22-year-old Taylor Phinney.

Unlike most of the entrants in Wednesday's event, Phinney did not compete in the Tour de France this year, but he did race in the Giro d'Italia earlier this season.

Phinney won the Prologue stage at the Giro in May and finished fourth in the Olympic road race on Saturday.

If Phinney does not do so well on Wednesday, American fans should not be worried as he has a long career ahead of him, just like van Garderen does.

Luis Leon Sanchez

If there is a darkhorse to win the time trial, it is Spain's Luis Leon Sanchez.

Sanchez has won the time trial championship of his cycling rich country for the past three years and could fly under the radar on Saturday.

It seems like that is how Sanchez is viewed regardless of what race he enters, but he has been successful throughout his career with four Tour de France stage wins and the 2010 title at the Clasica de San Sebastien in Spain.

Denis Menchov

Russia's top hope for a medal on Wednesday is Denis Menchov.

The man they call the "Silent Assassin" will look to upset the British choke hold on the event with a strong performance around London.

At 34, this is probably Menchov's last chance at an Olympic medal and the two-time Vuelta a Espana champion will look for his time in spotlight one last time.

Vasil Kiryienka

Vasil Kiryienka of Belarus was one of the surprises of the final time trial at the Tour de France this year as he finished in ninth place.

With the momentum from a good finish in the time trial in France, Kiryienka could propel himself to medal stand for his country.

Although he may have an outside chance of winning the event, you never know what happens when a cyclist rides for his country.

Sylvain Chavanel

Sylvain Chavanel is a rider who is always mentioned in the time trial conversation but can never get past the top favorites in the results.

The four-time French time trial champion is looking to give French fans more to cheer about at the Olympics and in the sport of cycling.

At the Olympics, France already has seven medals, three of them gold, and Chavanel will look to add to that count.

If Chavanel does earn a medal, it will be the icing on the cake for French cycling as they had a very successful Tour de France thanks to Thomas Voeckler and Thibaut Pinot.

Tony Martin

If there is one cyclist who needs a victory in the Olympic time trial to save his season, it is Tony Martin.

The 27-year-old German had a disastrous Tour de France and he pulled out of the road race on Saturday to focus on Wednesday's time trial.

The time trial is Martin's best discipline in the sport and he has shown that by winning the 2011 World Championship and two of the past three German national titles, including the 2012 title.

Chris Froome

Not often is a cyclist who finishes second in two grand tours still known as second best in his country.

Well, that is the case for Chris Froome, who has helped his Team Sky and Great Britian teammate Bradley Wiggins to titles in the 2011 Vuelta a Espana and 2012 Tour de France.

Froome also finished in second place in both time trials at the 2012 Tour de France and is someone who finally deserves an individual win instead of helping his teammate win a race.

Bradley Wiggins

Bradley Wiggins has won everything this year and an Olympic gold medal would be the finishing touch on one of cycling's greatest individual seasons ever.

Wiggins comes into the Olympic time trial as the favorite after winning both time trials on his way to the Tour de France title this season.

The two-time British national time trial champion has won four big races already this season along with the 2011 Vuelta a Espana title he captured last September.

A gold medal would cap off not only one of the best individual cycling seasons ever, but also one of the most impressive individual sporting years of all time.