The junior women’s individual time trial at the UCI Road World Championships is 18.8 kilometres long, straight and pan-flat, ensuring that the strongest riders emerge on the podium. The 17 to 18-year-old age group always brings surprises, in particular in time trials, making predictions difficult.
Last year, Australian Felicity Wilson-Haffenden came out of nowhere to dominate the event in Scotland. Barring another surprise, Cyclingnews looks at the top five contenders who have been performing across Europe at the Nations Cups and other UCI events.
Having taken third place at the European Championships junior women’s time trial, Chladoňová emerged as a Worlds favourite. The Slovakian is the Junior MTB World Champion, double national champion and winner of at least seven national-level events this season including the national hill climbing championships as well as a top cyclocross rider. She was just 10 seconds off the win in Hasselt and a top contender for Worlds in Zurich in the time trial and road race.
The Dutch daughter of former pro Servais Knaven is the reining time trial national champion and silver medalist at the European Championships. She was beaten by Spain’s Paula Ostiz by a single second, making her a top contender for the world title in Zurich.
The European Champion is one of the top junior riders in Europe, taking both Spanish national titles and the overall Watersley Ladies Challenge earlier this month. Ostiz took third in the much shorter time trial in that stage race, and won the European title on a course 5.5km shorter than what the junior women will face in Zurich. Ostiz excels on longer courses and is the top favourite for Worlds.
Gery didn’t race the time trial at the European Championships but if she competes in the discipline in Zurich, she is an inevitable favourite. A world champion in cyclocross, Gery was second to Britain’s Cat Ferguson in the 14.2km time trial during the Omloop van Borsele and won the 6.4km test at the Watersley Ladies Challenge.
Most of the talk ahead of Worlds will be of Britain’s Cat Ferguson, but Imogen Wolff beat her at the national championships by 25 seconds over 30km. Great Britain are the world’s number one nation in the junior women’s field and are favourites to win medals at Worlds, with Wolff a top favourite in the time trial and an important foil for the team in the road race.
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