Reusser retains world time-trial title on 35th birthday in Montreal

Marlen Reusser retained the women's world time-trial title in Montreal on 20 September 2026.

The Swiss rider beat Britain's Zoe Backstedt by 40 seconds over 39.2km. In a time-trial, riders set off alone and race only the clock, fastest time wins. The Guardian reported the result as the opening title race of the championships.

Backstedt made the early running. The 21-year-old was quickest at the first two intermediate time-checks on the Montreal course. Reusser finished strongest. She turned that deficit around in the final section to take gold by a clear margin.

Germany's Franziska Koch finished third, six seconds behind Backstedt. Demi Vollering, one of the pre-race contenders, finished eighth.

It was Reusser's second world title in a row after victory in Kigali in 2025. She is also a four-time European time-trial champion. The win came on her 35th birthday.

Backstedt's silver was her first medal at elite level at the World Championships, according to CBC. She already owned a strong record against the clock. She was junior world time-trial champion before adding two under-23 world time-trial titles.

Koch arrived in Canada with road pedigree. She won Paris-Roubaix in April 2026, the brutal one-day cobbled classic in northern France.

What makes this stand out is the control. Reusser let the younger rider go early, then rode her own pace to the line. She timed it perfectly.

The 2026 UCI Road World Championships run from 20 to 27 September in Montreal, Canada.