Marlen Reusser retains her time trial rainbow jersey with a masterclass in Montréal

Marlen Reusser remains the world time trial champion. The Swiss rider successfully defended her title on Sunday in Montreal, which she won last year in Kigali, after a race that started much more evenly than the final result suggests. Zoe Bäckstedt took silver 40 seconds behind, and Franziska Koch completed the podium 45 seconds back.

Marlen Reusser wins the 2026 World Time Trial Championship 

Reusser, who also celebrated her 35th birthday on Sunday, completed the 39.2 kilometers in 50:24, overcoming an initial deficit to Bäckstedt and finishing the time trial with a significant lead.

The defense of the rainbow jersey did not start in the best way for Reusser. The favorite started behind several of her main rivals and at the first intermediate point, located at km 10.7, she encountered a surprising reference.

Zoe Bäckstedt had flown in that first sector. The British rider clocked 13:36, and Reusser passed with only the fifth best time, losing 10 seconds. Cédrine Kerbaol and Franziska Koch had also started particularly fast.

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The situation gradually changed as the more favorable sections for maintaining speed appeared. Reusser began to make up ground, and by the second split, after 21.9 kilometers, she had practically neutralized the advantage. Bäckstedt was still in first place, but only 2.78 seconds separated the two riders. Koch was very close behind, just over six seconds back. The fight for the rainbow jersey was still wide open.

It was then that the best version of the world champion appeared. Reusser maintained her speed while Bäckstedt began to lose ground. At the third intermediate point, km 29.8, the standings had already changed. The Swiss rider passed first with 13 seconds over Bäckstedt and 22 over Koch.

By that point, one of the day's notable images had also occurred. Demi Vollering had started a minute and a half before Reusser, but the Swiss managed to catch and surpass her before the finish. Vollering would finish far from the medal fight, eighth at 1:49.

The last kilometers completely broke a race that had until then had relatively small differences.

Bäckstedt could not keep up with the champion's pace, and Reusser continued to extend her lead, stopping the clock at 50:24.44. The British rider arrived 40 seconds later and had to wait for Franziska Koch to find out what color her medal would be.

Koch had finished particularly strong, but Bäckstedt held onto second place by just five seconds. For the 21-year-old British rider, this means silver in her world championship debut in the Elite category after deciding not to defend her Under-23 title.

Reusser achieves her second consecutive World Championship

The victory allows Reusser to chain titles from Kigali 2025 and Montreal 2026. She has done so on two very different courses. While in Rwanda she faced a demanding route, Montreal offered nearly 40 kilometers where the ability to maintain speed and power was much more crucial.

The Swiss rider has also achieved a statistical rarity by becoming world champion on her birthday. She is the first woman to do so in the Elite category; among men, Johan Museeuw achieved it in the road race in Lugano 1996.

Behind the top two, Franziska Koch confirmed her excellent race with the bronze medal, 45 seconds behind Reusser.

Elisa Longo Borghini came very close to the podium. The Italian finished fourth at 50 seconds, just five seconds behind Koch. Cédrine Kerbaol, who had started among the best, was fifth at 1:10.

Lotte Kopecky finished sixth at 1:47, while Antonia Niedermaier and Demi Vollering finished practically tied, seventh and eighth respectively, both at 1:49. Dominika Wlodarczyk and Vittoria Guazzini closed the Top 10.

Top 10 Women's Elite World Time Trial 2026

1. Marlen Reusser (Switzerland) – 50:24
2. Zoe Bäckstedt (Great Britain) – +40
3. Franziska Koch (Germany) – +45
4. Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy) – +50
5. Cédrine Kerbaol (France) – +1:10
6. Lotte Kopecky (Belgium) – +1:47
7. Antonia Niedermaier (Germany) – +1:49
8. Demi Vollering (Netherlands) – +1:49
9. Dominika Wlodarczyk (Poland) – +1:59
10. Vittoria Guazzini (Italy) – +2:05