"The Giro took everything out of me” – But can Marlen Reusser win the world championship time trial?

Marlen Reusser will start Sunday’s world championship individual time trial in Rwanda as one of the main favourites. The Swiss rider has long been among the very best against the clock, and despite setbacks earlier this season, she remains confident that she can deliver another strong performance. After abandoning the Tour de France Femmes in July, her recovery has been anything but straightforward, yet she has no intention of lowering her ambitions.

Expectations for Reusser were high heading into the Tour de France Femmes, but she admits her condition was already compromised. "The Giro took everything out of me. I had diarrhea, which I rode with for three days. I lost two kilos; it was a huge struggle," she told Watson. A week later, she picked up food poisoning, and once the Tour began, her body could no longer cope. Forced to abandon, she then fell ill again in the aftermath.

Now 34, Reusser has the experience to manage both setbacks and pressure. While the Tour was a disappointment, she has made clear that her real focus is the time trial in Rwanda. "Even at 95 percent speed, I can ride very fast. I'm not giving up, and my focus is primarily on the time trial."

A central part of her preparation is her training relationship with Hendrik Wenrer, who is both her coach and her partner. His philosophy has reshaped the way she approaches her workload. "Hendrik's philosophy is that you should never squeeze the lemon completely dry. He gives me workouts I can handle without completely exhausting myself. My mentality has always been that it has to be extremely hard and that you have to push your limits to improve."

This shift has not been without friction. "The new approach did lead to some initial arguments with Hendrik," Reusser admitted. Over time, however, she has come to see the benefits. "I'm training very hard, but not like I did ten years ago." For a rider who has often pushed herself to the absolute limit, the challenge now lies in finding balance and longevity.

Reusser has also been outspoken about broader issues in the peloton, particularly around weight and performance. After the Tour de France Femmes, she voiced concern over Pauline Ferrand-Prévot’s dramatic weight loss in the build-up to her victory. "We secretly hoped Pauline wouldn't succeed. She's set a new standard, because when female riders are so successful with this approach, it puts pressure on all of us," she said at the time.

The Swiss rider’s honesty struck a chord in a sport where discussions about body image and health are often fraught. More recently, she reflected on her own position with greater nuance. "I ask myself the following questions: What is healthy? What is unhealthy? Where are the boundaries? And for me personally, especially: what am I willing to demand of myself and my body? I don't have an answer to that yet. It's a difficult subject, and I'm thinking about it. Of course, I watch my weight. But I'm not consciously trying to lose it. How far I'm willing to go is a question I have to wrestle with."

Her words highlight a tension felt by many female riders: the pressure to optimise performance without compromising health. As one of the most successful time trialists of her generation, Reusser carries weight both in terms of results and influence. For now, though, her attention is squarely on Rwanda. If her body allows, Reusser remains one of the most dangerous riders against the clock. The setbacks of the summer may have drained her, but her determination is intact. Watch out for her performance today.