Road Olympic champion Anna Kiesenhofer finished in the top ten at the World Championships opener in Wollongong, Australia on Sunday. The 31-year-old completed the tricky 34.2-kilometer individual time trial in 46:26 minutes and finished tenth, 1:57 minutes behind the defending champion and gold medalist Ellen van Dijk. Christiana Schweinberger missed her time trial premiere due to a positive CoV test from her sister and roommate Kathrin.
“I am happy with the result. That’s what I had planned for if the race went well,” explained Kiesenhofer. “In the first lap I had to get used to the course. I haven’t been on my time trial bike that much lately,” the Lower Austrian continued.
Austria’s sportswoman of the year was satisfied with her result. “It’s going in the right direction. I knew I might do it. I feel a lot of potential in this discipline and a tenth place on a course that is anything but tailored to me makes me very positive,” she added.