Marlen Reusser retained her elite women’s individual time trial world title on Sunday in Montreal, powering through a 39.2-kilometre course in 50 minutes 24.44 seconds to finish 40 seconds clear of Britain’s Zoe Bäckstedt.
Birthday win on Canadian roads
The Swiss time trial specialist, who turned 35 on the day, reclaimed the champion’s jersey she first earned last year in Kigali, Rwanda. Spectators on the podium recognised the milestone and began singing “Happy Birthday” as Reusser celebrated her second straight world title in the discipline.
Reusser’s ride was a study in staged recovery: she trailed Bäckstedt by roughly 10 seconds at the first intermediate split, took a slender lead by the third timing point, then extended her advantage markedly down the final straight to secure the victory by a sizable margin.
“I really enjoyed this route, as it was never boring. I felt like I was going on an adventure,”
She also explained in French that she deliberately conserved effort during the technical opening section, telling her team not to worry if she appeared behind at the first split because her plan was to accelerate in the latter half.
Podium and notable performances
Great Britain’s Zoe Bäckstedt, who will turn 22 later this week, finished second in the event — a notable result in her debut at the elite level after having won the under-23 world time trial last year. Germany’s Franziska Koch completed the podium in third, five seconds behind Bäckstedt.
- Winner: Marlen Reusser (Switzerland) — 50:24.44
- Second: Zoe Bäckstedt (Great Britain) — +40s
- Third: Franziska Koch (Germany) — +45s
The Netherlands’ Demi Vollering, widely viewed as a favourite for the upcoming road race scheduled for next Saturday, placed eighth, finishing 1 minute 49 seconds behind Reusser.
| Position | Rider | Nationality | Time / Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marlen Reusser | Switzerland | 50:24.44 |
| 2 | Zoe Bäckstedt | Great Britain | +40s |
| 3 | Franziska Koch | Germany | +45s |
How the race unfolded
Reusser, the pre-race favourite, executed a patient strategy on a course she described as varied and engaging. After a technical opening that left her slightly adrift in the earliest timing, she closed the gap and then produced a decisive push in the second half of the race, shaving significant seconds in the final straight to pull away from her rivals.
Bäckstedt, transitioning from under-23 competition to the elite ranks, said she believed victory was possible when she saw the early split, but acknowledged Reusser’s strength and composure in mounting a comeback. For Koch, the bronze adds to a strong season in 2026 and confirms her rising presence in elite time-trialling.
The world championships on Montreal streets offered a high-profile stage for the sport and a reminder of the tactical nuance of individual time trials: pacing, technical bike handling, and the capacity to deliver a powerful finish can outweigh early splits. Reusser’s successful title defence — and the timing of the win on her birthday — will be one of the enduring images from the event.
With the elite women’s road race still to come next weekend, attention now shifts to riders such as Vollering, who will aim to turn strong time trial form into success on a different course and in a mass-start setting.
