Judith Arndt Wins UCI World Road Cycling Championships Women’s Elite Time Trial

Germany’s Judith Arndt won the World Time Trial gold medal at the 2011 UCI World Road Cycling Championships.

World Champion Judith Arndt of Germany stands on the podium of the Women Elite time trial competition in the UCI Road World Championships. Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP/Getty Images

Germany’s Judith Arndt, after years of coming close, finally won her World Time Trial gold medal at the 2011 UCI World Road Cycling Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Arndt, who finished second in 2004 and 2010, 3rd in 2008, and 4th in 2009, had to beat a wet, slippery 27.8 km course as well as the best riders in the world, including former champs Linda Villumsen and Emma Pooley.

The German rider started cautiously and kept accelerating, finally beating the best by an astounding 21.7 seconds.

“It’s wonderful. I have wanted this for a very long time,” Arndt told Eurosport.com. “I’ve got silver and bronze medals a few times; now finally gold. I can’t tell you how happy I am.

I was a little bit careful in the first lap in the corners, but actually you could almost go full-on in every corner so the second lap I did I did a little bit better in the corners.”

The German rider started cautiously and kept accelerating, finally beating the best by an astounding 21.7 seconds.

“It’s wonderful. I have wanted this for a very long time,” Arndt told Eurosport.com. “I‘ve got silver and bronze medals a few times; now finally gold. I can’t tell you how happy I am.

“I was a little bit careful in the first lap in the corners, but actually you could almost go full-on in every corner so the second lap I did I did a little bit better in the corners.”

When asked if she was motivated by hearing her times at the splits, Arndt delivered some interesting news: “I don’t race with a radio. I like to be alone and concentrate on my race. I try to do a perfect race and I don’t want to hear anything from the outside.”

Considering she beat the best in the worlds by a third of a minute in terrible conditions, one might think she achieved her goal.

Canada Beats the Rain and the Rest of the Riders

The first rider Kathryn Bertine, set off at 2 p.m. local time, and had just finished her ride when the first hints of rain were seen. Azerbaijan’s Elena Tchalykh took off second, her time stood until the eighth rider, Canada’s Rhae-Christie Shaw beat her by 22 seconds—an enormous margin.

Shaw moved aside for another Canadian ninety minutes later, as Clara Hughes finished 2.44 seconds faster. 46-year-old Julia Shaw of Great Britain sat fourth.

By now the course was soaked and slippery; it looked as though Canada might be able to keep the top two medals as riders had to pick their ways cautiously over the greasy cobblestones.

It wasn’t until Eleonora van Dijk of the Netherlands hit the track that the two leading Canadians felt threatened. Van Dijk turned in an amazing ride, running five seconds behind the leading time through the first two time checks then almost catching the leader at the 20.6 km-mark. Van Dijk deposed Shaw to temporarily take the silver.

Big Guns Unlimber

As Van Dijk finished, the big-name riders were setting off—including former champions Linda Villumsen, Emma Pooley, Amber Neben, and Marianne Vos.

While these riders still faced a wet course, the worst of the grease had been washed away; most of them found that once they had negotiated the first section, the rest went easier—and faster.

Canada’s Tara Whitten was third fastest through the final time check, but kicked hard to take the lead. She barely had time to enjoy her success, as Denmark’s Linda Villumsen, now riding for New Zealand, came from eight seconds back at the third time check to beat Whitten’s time buy almost five seconds.

Only Arndt and Pooley were left out on the course. The German rider started cautiously and kept accelerating: eighth through the first time check, third through the second and fastest through the third, while the defending champion Pooley was fourth, second and fourth.

Pooley picked up her pace over the final seven kilometers, but Arndt really lit the afterburners; she went from 1.5 seconds down to almost 22 seconds ahead at the finish line.

The final podium was Arndt, Villumsen, and Pooley. The Canadians kept fourth and fifth. Amber Neben was the best-placed U.S. rider in eighth.

The UCI World Road Cycling Championships continue Wednesday with the Men’s Elite Time Trial.

UCI World Road Cycling Championships Elite Women’s Time Trial
	Rider	Nation	Time	Gap
	Judith Arndt	GER	37:07.38	0.00
1	Linda Villumsen	NZL	37:29.11	+21.73
2	Emma Pooley	GBR	37:31.51	+24.13
4	Tara Whitten	CAN	37:33.54	+26.16
5	Clara Hughes	CAN	37:44.17	+36.79
6	Eleonora Van Dijk	NED	37:46.26	+38.88
7	Rhae-Christie Shaw	CAN	37:46.61	+39.23
8	Amber Neben	USA	37:48.47	+41.09
9	Emilia Fahlin	SWE	38:02.44	+55.06
10	Marianne Vos	NED	38:03.15	+55.77
11	Ina Teutenberg	GER	38:03.52	+56.14
12	Shara Gillow	AUS	38:07.93	+1:00.55
13	Elena Tchalykh	AZE	38:08.22	+1:00.84
14	Emma Johannson	SWE	38:08.51	+1:01.13
15	Evelyn Stevens	USA	38:29.11	+1:21.73