Knaven promising but started too fast at junior time trial, where British Ferguson astonishes the others

Cat Ferguson secured the title for junior women in the World Time Trial Championships. The British rider was the best on the nearly nineteen-kilometer course, ahead of Viktoria Chladonova and Imogen Wolff, who claimed silver and bronze. Fee Knaven made a solid effort for the medal but ultimately missed the medals.

The junior time trial was much shorter than the elite time trial, and there were not too many altimeters along the way. So, it was a course for the specialists who could best navigate the gently sloping course around Zurich. The start was early: around 8:40 a.m., the first ladies rolled off the starting podium.

Chladonova put herself at the head of the race early.

With 25.23, Luxembourg's Gwen Nothum was, for the first time, significantly faster than the ladies who had started earlier, as she was the first rider to go under 26 minutes. Afterwards, she fell to the ground, gasping heavily because she gave it her all. With Viktoria Chladonova, another cannon was already on its way. We know her from across the country, and she is also a dangerous candidate for the time trial. She rode 59 seconds off Nothum's time, setting the bar seriously high for the rest of the field: 24.24.

From a Dutch perspective, Megan Arens and Fee Knaven were the ones to watch for. They were expected to be able to ride a decent result. Meanwhile, Imogen Wolff nestled just behind the Slovakian: 24.26. Who else could come close to both youngsters? Arens, meanwhile, had been working on an acceptable time trial; she was briefly third at 24.59. Paula Ostiz, however, was faster than the Dutchwoman: 24.53.

Fee Knaven starts fast, but sees Ferguson simply flying

In the closing phase, it was up to Fee Knaven and Cat Ferguson, who, on paper, could still do something about Chladonova's time. For Knaven, it was a matter of seeking revenge after her setback at the European Championships two weeks ago. She was six seconds faster than the Slovakian at the intermediate point. Still, she was, in turn, passed by Ferguson by nine seconds. What suspense!

Or not? The British seemed to have her timing perfectly laid out and was getting ahead of Knaven. The Dutch fell silent toward the end, finishing in 24.37. As Ferguson was on the move, it appeared that not even a medal was coming for Knaven; she finished behind Wolff and Chladonova. Ferguson, however, was in a league of her own. She was more than faster than anyone else at 23.49 and took the gold. Chladonova took silver, Wolff bronze.

Results World Cycling Championship 2024, time trial women juniors 

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