Marlen Reusser Defends Elite Women's Time Trial Title at 2026 World Championships

The 2026 UCI Road World Championships in Montreal, Canada kicked off with the elite women's individual time trial. Covering a distance of 39.2 kilometers around the Saint Lawrence River, the course was the longest ever in the history of the women's event at the World Championships. The route featured a largely flat profile with three intermediate time checks before a final climb to the finish line.

Switzerland's Marlen Reusser successfully defended her world title on her 35th birthday, adding to her victory in Rwanda last year. Making her elite debut at the World Championships, Zoe Backstedt of Great Britain set fast early splits to secure second place. Germany's Franziska Koch delivered a strong ride to complete the podium in third.

Netherlands' Demi Vollering finished in eighth place, trailing Reusser by 1 minute and 50 seconds after being overtaken on the course by the Swiss rider. Last year's runner-up Anna van der Breggen did not compete after withdrawing from the event the previous week. China's Xin Tang took a wrong turn on her opening lap but managed to return to the course, while rain began falling during the closing stages of the race.