Switzerland’s Marlen Reusser successfully defended her women’s elite individual time trial title at the UCI Road World Championships in Montreal on Sunday, completing the 39.2-kilometre course in 50 minutes, 24.44 seconds. The victory coincided with Reusser’s 35th birthday, allowing her to retain the coveted rainbow jersey she first won in Kigali in 2025.

Reusser, often referred to as "The Flying Elephant," faced a demanding and technically complex route that included stretches along the St. Lawrence River, the Samuel De Champlain Bridge, and the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, finishing with an uphill segment through Old Montreal. She described the course as particularly challenging from a pacing perspective, emphasizing the extensive preparation and strategic discussions with her coach to manage the varied terrain.

British rider Zoe Backstedt secured the silver medal, finishing 40.11 seconds behind Reusser, while Germany’s Franziska Koch earned bronze, crossing the line 45.54 seconds after the Swiss champion.

Tour de France winner Demi Vollering of the Netherlands finished in eighth place, 1 minute, 49.94 seconds off the winning time. Vollering, better known for her skills in road races rather than time trials, acknowledged the difficulty of the course and the advantage held by specialists in this discipline. “I felt it was a good time trial, a good rhythm, and I was actually happy,” Vollering said. However, she admitted to losing focus upon realizing how fast Reusser was setting the pace, describing the course as suited for time trial specialists.

The 2026 championships marked the first time in 52 years that the event was held in Montreal and represented Canada’s third occasion hosting the competition, with previous editions taking place in Montreal in 1974 and Hamilton in 2003.