The elite women’s time trial at the 2024 World Championships in Zürich provided a gripping contest, as Grace Brown stormed to victory, overturning a late deficit to claim her first World Championship title. The Australian Olympic champion edged out Demi Vollering by 16 seconds, with Germany’s Antonia Niedermaier taking the bronze.
The 29.9-kilometre course, which took the riders from Gossau to Zürich, featured several short, sharp climbs that proved decisive in the final outcome. The early part of the race saw some solid times posted, but it wasn’t until the latter stages, with the top contenders on course, that the real excitement began to unfold.
Early leaders set the pace
Ellen van Dijk was one of the first notable names to post a time, clocking the fastest split at the first intermediate checkpoint and extending her lead at the finish. She crossed the line with a 40-second advantage over Australia’s Brodie Chapman, setting a benchmark for the others to chase. However, Van Dijk’s time was soon under threat as Antonia Niedermaier came through with a blistering ride. The young German rider, competing in both the U23 and elite categories, went quicker than Van Dijk and moved into the lead, her strong performance solidifying her status as one of cycling’s brightest prospects.
As more riders completed the course, the stage was set for the main favourites, who were yet to begin their efforts. All eyes were on Grace Brown, Demi Vollering, and Chloé Dygert – the three riders expected to fight for the top spots.
Photo Credit: TeamNLVollering seizes control
Demi Vollering was the first of the main contenders to make an impact, storming through the first time-check with a 23-second lead over Niedermaier. Vollering’s fast start caught attention, and by the second checkpoint, she had further extended her advantage, pulling away from the field and looking every bit like a rider on her way to gold. Brown, starting a little later, was initially ahead of Vollering at the first split but then began to fall behind, leaving her with nine seconds to make up in the final 10 kilometres.
Chloé Dygert, the defending champion, struggled on the climbs and couldn’t match the times set by Vollering and Brown. Despite a solid performance on the flat sections, Dygert had to settle for third, finishing 56 seconds behind Brown and nine seconds ahead of Niedermaier.
Brown fights back for gold
The final 10 kilometres would prove decisive, as Grace Brown, despite trailing at the second time check, mounted a spectacular comeback. Finding her rhythm on the flat section into Zürich, she clawed back the time lost to Vollering, inching closer with every pedal stroke. Vollering, meanwhile, continued to push hard, but Brown’s pace was relentless.
As Brown crossed the line, she posted a time that was 16 seconds faster than Vollering, sealing her first-ever World Championship title in the time trial. The victory capped a remarkable season for the Australian, who had also claimed Olympic gold earlier in the year.
Photo Credit: UCIRider reactions
Following her triumph, Grace Brown reflected on her win and the emotional journey of her final season. “I had all the information, so I knew I was in the lead after the first climb. Vollering rode a great middle section, and it took me a while to find my rhythm on the flat part after all the climbing,” Brown explained. “But I was able to accelerate and claw back time in the end.”
On her mindset in the closing kilometres, she added: “In the last few kilometres, I just kept telling myself, ‘I can really be world champion!’ That gave me the strength to keep pushing until the end.”
Demi Vollering, though disappointed to miss out on the title, was pleased with her silver medal performance. “I was so close to that jersey, you really want it when you’re that near,” she told NOS. “But I’m still happy with the second place. It’s my first medal in a time trial championship, and it’s clear the gap was not small – Grace truly deserved it.”
Vollering also reflected on her approach to the race, revealing she didn’t want to know her time gaps during the ride. “I didn’t want to know the splits. Sometimes that makes you overthink, and I just wanted to ride my best time trial.”
Antonia Niedermaier, who took U23 gold and finished fourth overall, was delighted with her performance. “I’m really happy with today. After I saw the course, I was excited but also quite nervous with the high-speed descents. I aimed to defend my title and keep the rainbow jersey, as it’s an honour to wear,” she said.
For Brown, this victory marks a fitting end to her career, as she bows out at the top of the sport, having achieved both Olympic Time Trial and World Championship success in the same year – the first rider, male or female, to achieve that feat.
Photo Credit: UCI2024 Women’s World Championships Time Trial result
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