Annemiek Van Vleuten wins UCI Championships 2018 women’s time trial as Dutch dominate podium

Dutchwoman Annemiek van Vleuten won the world road cycling championships Elite Time Trial, two years after a horrific crash at the Rio Olympics

Van Vleuten, 35, was fastest in a time of 34m 25s on the 17-mile course in Innsbruck, Austria.

She beat Olympic road race champion Anna van der Breggen by 29 seconds, matching their one-two finish from the 2017 World Championships. Ellen van Dijk, the 2013 World champ, completed the Dutch sweep with bronze, 1m 25s behind.

Van Dijk edged out Canadian Leah Kirchmann by just 1.62 seconds. The top American was Leah Thomas in fifth. 

The Worlds continue on Wednesday with the men’s time trial.

In the Rio Olympic road race, van Vleuten suffered three small spine fractures and a concussion when her brakes appeared to lock, and she flipped into a ditch on a tight bend that caught out other riders. Van Vleuten had attacked alone and was in the lead with about seven miles to go on the 87-mile course.

She was eventually hospitalized in intensive care.

Van der Breggen went on to win the Olympic title.

Van Vleuten wasn’t out long. She raced at the October 2016 World Championships, placing a career-high fifth in the time trial. She then won La Course in 2017 and 2018 and the Giro Rosa in July, in addition to the 2017 World time trial.

Speaking seconds after the race the winner Annemiek van Vleuten said: “I know how nice it is to ride a bike with the beautiful Rainbow Jersey, so I didn’t have to feel under pressure to perform today, I just wanted to win like last year. It was a hard Time Trial because we also had to push on the descents. I was aware that I gained some time in the first part but I still rode fast afterwards. Our result with 1-2-3 for the Netherlands comes from the training camps we’ve done together for several years. Now we’re part of trade teams but the support we’ve got from our national federation has paid off today.”

VIDEO: 2018 UCI World Championships Elite Women's Time Trial Highlights

2018 UCI World Championships Elite Women's Time Trial Top 20

1 van VLEUTEN Annemiek 34:25.36
2 van der BREGGEN Anna +28.99
3 van DIJK Ellen +1:25.19
4 KIRCHMANN Leah +1:26.81
5 THOMAS Leah +1:32.39
6 BRAND Lucinda +1:42.59
7 NEBEN Amber Leone +1:47.51
8 CANUEL Karol-Ann +2:15.86
9 LONGO BORGHINI Elisa +2:17.12
10 WILES Tayler +2:31.16
11 WILLIAMS Georgia +2:33.28
12 MATHIESEN Pernille +2:34.94
13 LABOUS Juliette +2:39.83
14 BRENNAUER Lisa +2:48.94
15 WORRACK Trixi +3:02.12
16 FAHLIN Emilia +3:09.39
17 REUSSER Marlen +3:11.29
18 LUDWIG Cecilie Uttrup +3:16.65
19 CORDON RAGOT Audrey +3:17.49
20 AMIALIUSIK Alena +3:19.94