After taking a silver medal in the Olympic time trial, US team member Mari Holden took victory in the 25km event just 4 seconds ahead of the normally all conquering Frenchwoman Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli.

Holden went out hard from the start and was 16 seconds up at the first split. Despite a constant headwind she held the gap until the final climb 3km from the finish. Although Holden “gave it everything”, Longo pulled back 12 seconds on the kilometre long climb making the American’s finish line wait a nervous one.

Holden – tired after her Olympic success – had actually been persuaded to attend the Worlds by Longo herself, and said that as winning an Olympic medal had been her major goal for the season, it proved to be a huge advantage yesterday as she entered the worlds with no feeling of pressure.

Britains top feamle hope Ceris Gilfillan finished in 5th 57 seconds down, just behind the aerodynamically named Norwegian Solrunn Flataas.

We’ll be bringing those of you with clock watching fever the results from the mens elite time trial as soon as it finishes this afternoon. So watch this space about 5pm.