In what proved to be a testing day for all the competitors on the course, Alice Barnes finished as Great Britain’s highest placed rider in the elite women’s time trial race, stopping the clock in 46:43.96 to finish in 16th place.
Hayley Simmonds, who had completed her pre-race preparations when the news came that the race was delayed, finished in 26th place.
After the race, Barnes said: “It was a difficult race in difficult conditions. I think I can be fairly happy with how I did, it was just a tough race and there’s some really fast girls so it’s always difficult.
“I’m quite used to the rain, it wasn’t raining while we were out there so it was just standing water and they’d pumped a lot of it away while the race was delayed. It was a tough day, but then it always is.”
USA’s Chloe Dygert took the rainbow jersey in a time of 42:11.57, over a minute and a half faster than second placed Anna van der Breggen. Fellow Dutch rider Annemiek van Vlueten completed the podium.
National champion Charlie Quarterman was Great Britain’s highest place finisher in the under-23 men’s time trial, finishing in 14th place with a time of 42:13.04, while team mate Ethan Vernon finished in 21st place in what was an impressive debut ride in under-23 time trial at this level. Mikkel Bjerg from Denmark took the rainbow jersey, completing the 32 km course in 40:20.42. American riders filled the remaining two podium spots with Ian Garrison winning silver and Brandon McNulty winning the bronze medal.
Speaking after his ride, Quarterman said: “It was really hard! With all the wind and the rain, you had to focus all the time to avoid the puddles and every hill seemed that little bit harder so it was a real tough day out.”
