Marlen Reusser defends world time trial title in Montreal as Franziska Koch takes bronze
Swiss cyclist Marlen Reusser won gold in the women's elite individual time trial in Montreal on her 35th birthday, beating Zoe Bäckstedt by 40.11 seconds over the 39.2-kilometre course.
Reusser retains world time trial crown
Marlen Reusser secured her second consecutive world championship in the women's individual time trial on Sunday in Montreal. The 35-year-old Swiss rider from Bern, who entered the competition as the defending champion after winning in Kigali, Rwanda in 2025, tackled the 39.2-kilometre course along the Saint Lawrence River. Starting as the final rider on the start list, Reusser set the winning time of 50:24.44. She finished 40.11 seconds ahead of Great Britain's Zoe Bäckstedt to claim the gold medal. The victory came on Reusser's 35th birthday, confirming her status as the pre-race favorite in Canada.
Progression across the Montreal course
Reusser began the race with a measured pace through the opening segment of the 39.2-kilometre route. At the first intermediate time check, she ranked fifth, trailing early leader Bäckstedt by 10 seconds. The 2021 Olympic silver medalist accelerated into the second checkpoint, reducing the deficit to 2.78 seconds and moving up to second place. Reusser seized the lead around the 30-kilometre mark at the third intermediate split, establishing a 13-second gap over Bäckstedt. Over the closing 10 kilometres, Reusser gained an additional 27 seconds on her British challenger. Along the way, 7.5 kilometres from the finish line, Reusser caught and passed Demi Vollering of the Netherlands, who had started 90 seconds ahead of her.
- Reusser ranks fifth, trailing Zoe Bäckstedt by 10 seconds
- Reusser moves into second place, trailing Bäckstedt by 2.78 seconds
- Reusser takes the lead with a 13-second advantage after roughly 30 km
- Reusser catches and passes Demi Vollering on the road
- Reusser wins gold in 50:24.44 with a 40.11-second margin
Bäckstedt and Koch secure podium finishes
Bäckstedt, 21, took the silver medal after completing the course 40.11 seconds behind Reusser. German national champion Franziska Koch, 26, captured the bronze medal with a time 45.54 seconds adrift of Reusser, finishing five seconds behind Bäckstedt. Koch's third-place finish secured the first medal for the German women's elite team in a world championship time trial in twelve years. The previous German medalist in the event was Lisa Brennauer, who took bronze in Richmond, Virginia in 2015 after winning gold in Ponferrada, Spain in 2014. Koch finished ahead of several prominent riders, including two-time Giro d'Italia winner Elisa Longo Borghini of Italy in fourth place, two-time world champion Lotte Kopecky of Belgium in sixth, Rosenheim native Antonia Niedermaier in seventh at +1:49.54, and Tour de France winner Vollering in eighth. Niedermaier had previously finished fourth two years earlier in Zurich.
- Zoe Bäckstedt
- 40.11 s
- Franziska Koch
- 45.54 s
- Antonia Niedermaier
- 109.54 s
Swiss lineup changes and birthday reflections
Reusser was the sole Swiss cyclist competing in the individual time trial following a late withdrawal by 23-year-old Jasmin Liechti. The Bernese rider announced her withdrawal on Instagram without detailing the reasons, confirming she planned to race later in the week in the mixed team time trial and the road race. Ahead of the race, Reusser reflected on spending her 35th birthday away from family and friends while staying with the Swiss Cycling delegation in Canada.
In life there are of course much more valuable things. But on this day, the World Championship title would certainly be the best present.
Reusser explained that team chef Bruno would prepare something for the occasion with the Swiss squad. She also reflected on the physical toll of her career, noting that hard training sessions leave her feeling older than 35 due to the demands of professional cycling.
