Could Marlen Reusser dream of a better gift on her birthday? For her 35th birthday, the Swiss woman gave herself a lovely present on Sunday, September 20th, at the finish line of the women's time trial of the world cycling championships, which are taking place in Montreal. In the Canadian city, the rider kept the title she won last year in Kigali, at the age of 34. "In any case, I had something to celebrate, whether I won or not," she smiled after the organizers' microphone interview.
It was in Rwanda, in 2025, that the coronation took place for the woman who often found herself placed and medaled, but never won, at the World Championships – 2nd in 2021, 3rd in 2022. This double, which she achieved by covering the 39.2 kilometers in 50 minutes and 24 seconds and ahead of the British Zoe Bäckstedt (2nd, by 40 seconds) and the German Franziska Koch (3rd, by 45 seconds), completes her as the current queen of the clock in the women's field, almost untouchable when it comes to solo sprints.
During the last Tour de France, Marlen Reusser had won the time trial in the program for stage 4, and at the same time won the yellow jersey, which she kept for three days. On the last day of the race, the Swiss woman, who was in third place in the general classification, said goodbye to her hopes of winning or finishing on the podium of the Grande Boucle, due to a fall on the heights of Nice.
"Not 100% sure about the strategy"
A month and a half later, the double world champion managed to turn her head around to best tackle this unusually long race, in an exercise where the women's field barely competes. "There was no pressure, she assured after the race. But I was nervous because there isn't a time trial that long. We had big discussions with the team to find the right pace. I wasn't 100% sure about the strategy."
She, who gained momentum as the course advanced, ultimately worked for Marlen Reusser, long threatened by Zoe Bäckstedt, the world champion in the hopes in 2025. The 21-year-old Brit has everything to be the successor to the Swiss, who can fully enjoy her status as the untouchable world clock champion. And for a reason: during the 2023 World Championships time trial in Glasgow, disheartened by her failed start, she had decided to give up in the middle of the event. Unable to be consoled on the sidelines, could she imagine celebrating a second world title in the specialty three years later?