Team SD Worx (Netherlands) - Press Release: "Special to be European champion for third time".

Marlen Reusser lived up to her favourites role. With an average speed of 49.828 kilometres per hour, she steamed to her third consecutive European time trial title in Emmen. Silver medallist Anna Henderson followed at 43 seconds, third Caroline Schweinberger at 44 seconds. Defined European champion it is then called. "That I realise the hat-trick is very special. Every time you have to fight for that jersey again. I am happy to wear it for another year," said Marlen Reusser.

Marlen Reusser after her third European time trial title: "You have to ride a very strong time trial to have a chance of winning this title. So I'm definitely not getting used to this jersey, no. I take nothing for granted and have worked hard for this. To prolong the title on my birthday is a nice extra aspect. I rode a championship on my birthday two years earlier. At the World Championships in Bruges in 2021, I then just missed out on the world title by ten seconds. Back then, that was a big disappointment. It's nice to live up to the hat-trick just today."

Reusser found a course tailored to her in Emmen. "I could use my power well on it, although I can also do well on a more uphill course. I even like that a bit more. In Switzerland, the roads slope up a bit more and there are a few more corners. That might make it a bit more interesting. But even this course was challenging. Now I can celebrate twice. I am super satisfied that I can also ride in this beautiful jersey during the time trials next year," Marlen Reusser concluded.

Lotte Kopecky (5th): "I'll wait and see if I focus more on this in the future"

Lotte Kopecky grabbed the silver medal in the time trial by five seconds. The 27-year-old Belgian really measured herself for the first time at an international championship in time trial. In Wollongong, she rode the time trial mainly to deal with jet lag. "This was the longest time trial I have ridden in a long time and I know again what I don't like about it. The wind played a role, so it was important to go into the red at the beginning without blowing yourself up. A time trial you have to plan well and I think I succeeded. We will now analyse whether I will focus more on this discipline in the future. We are not going to decide in a hurry, because I already have a lot to focus on. So we'll see what the future brings."