For the first time in her career, Marlen Reusser has captured the world time trial title, in what is arguably the best season of her life.
The Swiss rider first discovered the joy of wearing Maglia Rosa at the last Giro d’Italia Women. After dominating the opening time trial in Bergamo and finishing second overall – overtaken by Elisa Longo Borghini on the final weekend – Reusser took her revenge two months later, stepping onto the top step of the rainbow podium the day after her 34th birthday.
The Swiss champion outpaced two Dutch icons: Anna van der Breggen (four-time winner of the Giro Donne and three-time world time trial champion) and Demi Vollering, who this year claimed her second Strade Bianche.
Rounding out the top 10 were plenty of familiar names to Giro Women 2025 fans: Juliette Labous in 7th, behind Brodie Chapman (4th), Katrine Aalerud (5th), and Antonia Niedermaier (6th), while Anna Henderson (8th) and Mireia Benito (10th) completed the list.
In the men’s race, Remco Evenepoel may have slightly spoiled Tadej Pogačar’s birthday – the Slovenian turned 27 on Sunday – but he definitely lit up the opening day of a historic World Championships, the first ever held on African soil. Rwanda will host the sport’s elite for eight days.
The Belgian star gifted himself a third straight world time trial title, a feat previously achieved only by Michael Rogers (2003–2005) and Tony Martin (2011–2013).
The symbolic weight of Evenepoel’s triumph was huge, but it was the way he won that impressed most: with just two kilometers to go, on the steep cobbled climb that capped a technical and selective course, he blasted past Pogačar, who had started two and a half minutes earlier. The Slovenian, winner of the 2024 Giro d’Italia, missed the podium by just one second. Instead, Australia’s Jay Vine took silver (2nd at 1’14”) and Belgium’s Ilan Van Wilder claimed bronze (3rd at 2’36”) in his first Worlds podium finish.
The top 10 also included four riders fresh from starring at the last Giro d’Italia: Vine, Isaac Del Toro (5th), Luke Plapp (7th), and Thymen Arensman (9th).
