Columbia-HTC's Ellen Van Dijk of the Netherlands claimed first place for the second year running in the European Championship Individual Time Trial competition Wednesday.  Van Dijk completed the long, 28-kilometre course in Hooglede-Gits, Belgium with a time of 36.41 and an average speed of 45.78 kilometers per hour.   Highroad-HTC teammate Emilia Fahlin of Sweden took second, 20 seconds behind the champion.

"I am very happy, of course," said Van Dijk after the race.  After suffering a concussion from a crash in the Ronde Van Gelderland in April, Van Dijk was unable to race or train for nearly six weeks, dampening her expectations for success in the challenging ITT event.  "I was very insecure about my fitness, but it seems I was able to succeed today, even after the lost training time."

"The course was quite long, with a couple of stone sections that were also uphill, and it was very hard near the end.  The uphill was at a very important part of the course where you can easily loose a couple of seconds.  But the wind was behind me, so that was a bit of help."

Next, Van Dijk looks forward to Saturday when the team competes in the 135-kilometre European Road Championships race in starting in Oostende.  "We expect to ride very well, as we are a strong, international team of 8 girls who work really well together."