"Very disappointed – no idea what actually happened": Bronze medal confusion leads to controversy in women’s European Championship TT

What should have been a straightforward podium ceremony at the women’s 2025 European Championship time trial in France descended into farce on Wednesday, after Norway’s Katrine Aalerud was told she had secured bronze, only to be relegated to fourth place minutes later.

The chaos overshadowed what was otherwise a commanding victory for Switzerland’s Marlen Reusser, who took her first win in the rainbow jersey of world champion with a dominant ride against the clock.

Aalerud was initially informed she had finished third behind compatriot Mie Bjorndal Ottestad, sparking celebrations within the Norwegian camp. The riders were instructed to prepare for the medal ceremony, with both Ottestad and Aalerud ready to step onto the podium.

Then came the twist: by the time Aalerud had changed clothes and returned for the presentation, the results had shifted. Dutch rider Mischa Bredewold had been awarded third place, finishing just two-tenths of a second ahead of Aalerud on the final classification.

“I don’t really know what happened,” admitted national coach Jon Anders Grøndahl to TV 2. “We celebrated as if we were second and third. She’s obviously very disappointed, especially when it’s that close. She had worked really hard for this. I’ve no idea what actually happened – it’s confusing for us as well, to be honest.”

The sudden reversal left Aalerud out of the medals in the cruellest possible fashion, while Ottestad’s excellent ride was somewhat lost in the confusion.

The drama for bronze should not distract from Reusser’s latest demonstration of time trial supremacy. The 33-year-old stormed the rolling course in 33:06, averaging over 44 km/h and finishing 50 seconds clear of Ottestad in silver.

Aalerud also looked strong, riding shoulder-to-shoulder with Reusser on the time checks. At the first intermediate split, the Norwegian was fractionally ahead of the world champion, underlining how tight the margins were at that point. Yet while Aalerud faded slightly in the decisive middle sector, Reusser only accelerated, blasting through the second checkpoint 14 seconds quicker than anyone else. By the finish, Reusser had obliterated the field, Ottestad settling for second and Bredewold sneaking into third ahead of a heartbroken Aalerud.

The official result may have awarded Bredewold the bronze, but the muddled communication and timing adjustments left the Norwegian team frustrated and bewildered. For Aalerud, missing out on a continental medal by just two-tenths of a second was painful enough. To be told she had won it, only to have it taken away, was brutal.