“A lot of the nerves are already gone” - Marlen Reusser ends 2026 with record fifth European title after beating Demi Vollering

Marlen Reusser has capped another hugely successful season by making European Championship history in Slovenia, beating Demi Vollering to become the first five-time winner of the elite women's continental time trial title.

The Movistar rider arrived as the clear favourite after taking the rainbow jersey against the clock in Montreal and lived up to that status on Wednesday, finishing 23 seconds ahead of Vollering. Juliette Berthet completed the podium in third.

Reusser had previously won the European title in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2025, with her latest success taking her clear of Ellen van Dijk's four victories at the top of the all-time standings.

At 35, however, Reusser approached one of the final major targets of her year somewhat differently to the championships that had come before it. "Yes, it was a good day. It's kind of the last big race, the big race of the season," she reflected afterwards. "And it's different; in a way, a lot of the nerves are already gone. You want to do one last good race, but you feel very different. So I had a great day and I thought, 'Let's do a good race.'"

That became another gold medal as Reusser took control from the opening checkpoint and steadily increased her advantage over Vollering on the way to the finish. "I'm super happy that I was able to win."

The European title adds another major success to a 2026 campaign Reusser can look back on with considerable satisfaction. Her world time trial title in Montreal and fifth European crown provide two of the clearest highlights, although Reusser was not pretending the entire year had gone according to plan.

"Yes, I think I can be happy with a lot of things and with some really good results," she said. "There were also some unfortunate things or things that weren't so good, but there were a lot of positives. So I think... yes, I think we can all be proud of this season."

Wednesday's victory also came only days after Reusser took bronze in the European Championship road race behind Demi Vollering and Puck Pieterse, giving her another medal from a championship week in which the Dutchwoman had denied her on the road before Reusser reversed the order in the time trial.

Even with rainbow and European jerseys secured against the clock, Reusser has no intention of treating her current level as the finished product.

"I have a lot of things I want to change, improve and work on," she said when looking ahead to next season. "So above all, I'm really looking forward to improving all the processes we go through and everything we do. And hopefully we can get more results. That would be great."

That work will involve both the people around her personally and Movistar, with Reusser keen to refine the details behind a season which has already delivered some of the biggest prizes available to her. "But above all, I'm really looking forward to working with my personal team and with Movistar to really improve a lot of things."

The planning for another season can wait briefly. Reusser admitted that her immediate priority was simply to celebrate and enjoy another European title before turning fully towards what she wants to change for 2027.

She will do so as both world and European champion against the clock, with Wednesday's victory adding sole ownership of the European Championship record to an already formidable list of achievements.