'I was not sure to win' – Marlen Reusser caps rainbow jersey debut with European Championships time trial victory

There was no sign of a rainbow jersey curse for Marlen Reusser, who began life as time trial world champion by winning the European Championships on Wednesday.

A week and a half on from her victory in Kigali, the Swiss rider debuted her rainbow bands in southeast France, and added a fourth European title to her list of honours.

Her winning time of 33:06 saw her average 43.48kph across the 24km course, and finish 49 seconds ahead of Norway’s Mie Bjørndal Ottestad. Mischa Bredewold (Netherlands) earned the bronze medal, a further two seconds adrift.

“I think everybody’s biggest opponent today was the wind,” Reusser smiled afterwards, having battled against 30kph gusts. “I didn’t really know how to find myself today. It was quite a crazy week in Rwanda, and then a big travel, and I’m really tired.”

Reusser's winning margin was even greater at the recent UCI Road World Championships, where she claimed her first gold medal by 51 seconds. Her newest European title marks the 18th time trial victory of her career.

“I think it’s not something you should take for granted,” she said, asked if she was confident of winning again. “I was also not sure to win because sometimes it’s tight, sometimes somebody has a super-good day and somebody [else] does not. I can also be the one with not a good day. I was not confident that anyway I was going to win this.”

Great Britain’s Anna Henderson, despite starting third, was the first rider to finish the course in Étoile-sur-Rhône, setting an early best time of 34:11 – an average speed of 42.1kph. The Olympic silver medallist’s stint in the hot seat only lasted a few handful of minutes, however, before her benchmark was bettered 16 seconds by Norway’s Ottestad.

Behind, Reusser set off in full flow. Blasting along country roads, the world champion clocked fastest at the second of three time checks, 23 seconds up on the leader. She then ripped into a headwind, caught and passed Christina Schweinberger (Austria) – who started a minute prior – and grew her advantage to 49 seconds by the final time check.

By the time Reusser approached the line, her victory was certain. She sat up from her praying mantis position, and punched the air, saluting her fortnight of back-to-back titles.

“I’m super happy that I can keep up the level. Last year I was sick, and before I could win this a few times,” said the 34-year-old, who also won in 2021, 2022 and 2023. “I’m really happy. It’s hard to race time trials, so I’m happy it’s rewarded.”

Earlier in the day, Paula Ostiz (Spain) defended her European title in the women’s junior time trial, continuing the form that brought her a road world title in Rwanda last week. Michiel Mouris (Netherlands), too, claimed successive wins in the men’s junior event, a week after winning his time trial rainbow jersey.

The new European time trial champions in the under-23 ranks are Federica Venturelli (Italy) and Jonathan Vervenne (Belgium).

Results

European Road Championships 2025, elite women's time trial: Loriol-sur-Drôme > Étoile-sur-Rhône (24km)

1. Marlen Reusser (Sui) in 33:06
2. Mie Bjørndal Ottestad (Nor), +49s
3. Mischa Bredewold (Ned), +51s
4. Katrine Aalerud (Nor), +51s
5. Lieke Nooijen (Ned), +58s
6. Juliette Labous (Fra), +1:04
7. Anna Henderson (GBr), +1:05
8. Christina Schweinberger (Aut), +1:30
9. Cédrine Kerbaol (Fra), +1:51
10. Yuliia Biriukova (Ukr), +2:06