The 2023 Women’s elite Individual Time Trial takes place on Thursday 10th August in Stirling. The riders will complete a 36.2km circuit to determine who will wear the rainbow bands when riding against the clock in the following year.
The women’s elite race will also crown an U23 World Champion, for the fastest rider within that age group.
The reigning champion Ellen van Dijk will not defend her title as she is currently pregnant with her first child; so this year will see a new World Champion crowned.
The Route
Beginning and ending in Stirling, this year’s individual time trial route is the longest World Championship individual time trial for women in recent history, at 36.2km. However, it’s not quite as hilly as last year’s route, in Wollongong Australia, so it may appeal to riders with a slightly purer time trialling skillset.
The route travels west out of the city and into the countryside, before heading south and east back towards the city once again.
Though the route features less climbing than last year, with 242m of altitude gain overall, it finishes on a steep climb that may catch out riders who have not paced their efforts accordingly, or who perform better over a flat parcours.
On the whole, it’s a well-balanced but lengthy time trial that should find out the best riders against the clock.
Riders to Watch
With the reigning champion, Ellen van Dijk, not defending her title this year, there’s one obvious name that stands out on the start list as a likely successor: Switzerland’s Marlen Reusser. The current European champion, Reusser recently won the time trial at the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, and will be targeting the rainbow stripes as her primary goal of the season.
She will face stiff competition from the Netherlands, despite the absence of Van Dijk, as Reusser’s SD Worx teammate Demi Vollering will target the double, taking on both the ITT and the road race three days later. Her compatriot Riejanne Markus is the current Dutch champion and should not be overlooked; with a specialism in climbing, Markus should handle the final kick up to the line better than others.
Last year’s second-placed rider in Wollongong was home rider Grace Brown; she will once again be one to watch, along with the USA’s Chloe Dygert, who is riding both track and road events at Worlds and has already come close to her own 1km time trial record on the track, proving she’s in excellent form in this, her comeback year.
France’s Juliette Labous, Denmark’s Emma Norsgaard, and Italy’s Vittoria Guazzini are all in with an outside chance of a win against the clock in Glasgow.
Riders to watch (GC)
5-stars Marlen Reusser
4-stars Riejanne Markus
3-stars Demi Vollering
2-stars Chloe Dygert
1-star Grace Brown
Summary
When – August
Where – Scotland, UK
What – Individual time trial
‘Watch the Femmes’ TV Coverage: Eurosport, GCN, BBC
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