Australian Orica-Bike Exchange 3rd at Doha

Australia's Orica-Bike Exchange has come third behind Etixx-Quick Step and BMC Racing in the team time trial at the world championships in Doha on Sunday.

The Belgian Etixx-Quick-Step team, led by triple individual winner Tony Martin, upset defending champions BMC Racing to claim the gold medal.

Etixx-Quick Step, who won their third title since the event was created in 2012, clocked 42 minutes 32.39 seconds on a 40km pan-flat course in searing heat, beating BMC by 11.69.

Martin and fellow German Marcel Kittel, Belgians Julien Vermote and Yves Lampaert, Dutchman Niki Terpstra and Luxemburg's Bob Jungels produced a flawless ride on a technical course, finishing strongly.

Orica-Bike Exchange took third place, 37.12 off the pace.

Etixx-Quick Step made the fastest start, clocking 15:11 at the first intermediate check point, two seconds ahead of BMC Racing.

The American team, winners of the last two editions, were only seven hundredths of a second behind at the second checkpoint but could not sustain the pace.

Team Sky, third at the first check point, dropped to fourth at the second and were eventually comprehensively beaten by Orica-Bike Exchange for third place.