2021 Women's Olympic Time Trial Race Preview
The details of this year's 2021 Women's Olympic Time Trial are falling into place. Find the latest route profiles and maps below, followed by our strategic preview of the race.
The road from Oyama to the Fuji International Speedway serves as the backdrop for one of the most anticipated individual events of the Tokyo Olympic Games, with the women's time trial set to draw together the finest specialists and all-rounders in professional cycling for a brutal test of power, pacing, and determination.
The course itself demands respect. Riders will cover approximately 22 kilometers of challenging terrain, with the final climb to the finish at Fuji Speedway providing a brutal sting in the tail that will separate the pure time trialists from those with the climbing ability to thrive on such an unforgiving route. The ascent is steep and relentless, meaning raw aerodynamic efficiency on flat roads will count for little if a rider cannot also deliver on the slopes leading to the finish line.
The favorite on paper is Annemiek van Vleuten of the Netherlands, who enters the event having recently won the road race at the Tour de France Femmes and who possesses an extraordinary engine perfectly suited to courses that blend speed with elevation. The Dutch champion is a former world time trial champion and will be extraordinarily motivated having crashed out of the Rio Olympics road race while leading in heartbreaking circumstances five years ago.
Anna Kiesenhofer, fresh from her stunning road race victory, is unlikely to factor heavily here given the very different demands of the discipline. More dangerous challengers will likely come from Marlen Reusser of Switzerland, an exceptional time trialist who has been in the form of her life, and American Chloe Dygert, whose extraordinary talent is well established even as she returns from serious injury.
The Japanese heat and humidity will be a factor for every competitor, demanding careful preparation and pacing strategy throughout.
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