The time trial course for the U23 and Elite Women event followed the same course as yesterday’s junior and mixed relay. The riders took on the 22.4 km flat course around Trentino, with last year’s winner Hannah Ludwig being a favourite for the U23 category. However, she faced tough competition from Italian Guazzini. With the best split time at the half way mark, Guazzini ultimately prevailed over a field of 28 riders and took out the day’s win in a time of 29:02 minutes, ahead of Ludwig and Italian Elena Pirrone.
Ellen van Dijk won four editions of the European Championship time trial but missed out to Anna van der Breggen last season, when she came second. Without Van der Breggen on the startline this year, the Dutch rider was again a favourite but had to contend with Swiss national champion Marlen Reusser, who came third last year and is in great form this year, having recently won the Olympic silver medal in the ITT discipline. Germany’s Lisa Brennauer and compatriot Lisa Klein rode strongly through the first checkpoint but in the end Brennauer took bronze, Van Dijk won the silver and Reusser was crowned the new European ITT champion.
