Results Women’s elite World Championship time trial 2025 - Marlen Reusser dominates van der Breggen and Vollering to win rainbow jersey

An absolutely incredible performance from Marlen Reusser has won the women's elite world championship time trial, to pull on the rainbow jersey for Switzerland. The Swiss rider finished in 43 minutes and 9 seconds, with an average speed 43.3km/h. In second place was Anna van der Breggen, and Demi Vollering came home in third ahead of Brodie Chapman.

The time trial in Kigali covered 31.2 kilometres at around 1,500 metres of altitude, packing in roughly 500 metres of climbing. After a flat opening, the first checkpoint came atop the Côte de Nyanza, 2.4 kilometres at six percent, before a descent and then a return ascent of the same hill from the gentler side, 6.6 kilometres at 3.5 percent. The decisive phase arrived late: the Côte de Kimihurura, 1.3 kilometres at nearly six percent over cobblestones, before the road continued to rise all the way to the finish line at the Kigali Convention Centre.

Home favourite Xaverine Nirere of Rwanda was the first rider down the ramp. The national champion of the country, Nirere crossed the line in 50:07 to briefly hold the lead. Of the big favourites, Anna van der Beggen (the 2020 winner) was the first to start her effort. At the first time checkpoint, van der Breggen stormed to the top of the time sheets with 16 minutes 50, and an average speed near 38km/h. At the same time, Soraya Paladin went to the top of the time sheets overall with 48:36, and moved into the hot seat.

Anna van der Breggen eventually posted a time of 44 minutes and 1 seconds, but this time was then beaten by the favourite Marlen Reusser who clocked 43 minutes and 9 seconds. Brodie Chapman briefly went into third place with a time of 44 minutes 30 seconds.

But what about Demi Vollering? At checkpoint 1, she was les than a second behind Reusser, but by checkpoint 2 she had dropped behind Anna van der Breggen. Meanwhile, Britain's Anna Henderson clocked 44 minutes and 47 seconds to come home in 7th place, outside the medals this time.

In the end, no one could come close to the incredible performance of Marlen Reusser. The Swiss rider won the rainbow jersey, with Anna van der Breggen second and Demi Vollering fought hard to hold on to the bronze medal after fading in the final stretch of the race.