Columbia-HTC’s Linda Villumsen of Denmark netted a bronze medal in the World Championships of the women’s individual time trial in Mendrisio, Switzerland on Wednesday. 

Already the Danish national time trial and road-race champion this year, Villumsen rode strongly on Mendrisio’s hilly 26.8-kilometre course to finish third behind Kristin Armstrong of the United States and 2010 Columbia-HTC rider Noemi Cantele of Italy. Germany's Judith Arndt also had a great ride to finish fourth in the time, only recently returning to racing after a broken arm.
 
“I’m happy for my bronze medal.  It’s not so far from silver, just three seconds away, but maybe next year it’ll be better,” Villumsen said afterwards.  “I truly didn’t expect this.  I wanted to get a good result, but looking at the top ten starters I had no idea I could have a chance of getting a medal.  I slightly overheated in the second half of the course, but even so this is a great result, the finest of my career so far.”

Villumsen’s bronze is the first ever for Danish women’s cycling in a World Road-Race Championships, and at 24, she’s hopeful that it won’t be the last.  “A lot of the big names are retiring soon and younger riders are coming through, so I think I’ll have some good chances in the future.”