Backstedt Secures World Championship Time Trial Silver

Great Britain's Zoe Backstedt, 21, claimed the silver medal in the elite women's time trial at the UCI World Road Championships held in Montreal. Backstedt opted to compete at the elite level instead of defending the under-23 title she won the previous year.

She finished 40.11 seconds behind Switzerland's Marlen Reusser, who successfully retained her world championship crown with a time of 50 minutes and 24.44 seconds. Backstedt, who started third to last in the event, had set the benchmark time to beat, finishing 5.43 seconds ahead of Germany's Franziska Koch, who ultimately secured the bronze medal.

Reusser, the final rider to begin the race, was more than ten seconds behind Backstedt at the first checkpoint. However, the 35-year-old Swiss rider increased her pace to secure her second time-trial gold medal, adding to her victory from the previous year in Rwanda. Reusser also holds two silver and one bronze medal in the discipline from previous world championships and was considered a strong contender entering the event.

Backstedt's performance ensured that Great Britain secured its third medal in the discipline at the World Championships. Emma Pooley previously won gold in 2010 and a bronze medal a year later. Backstedt, a former world junior and under-23 time trial champion, also won both the women's road race and time trial at this year's British Championships.