Switzerland became world champion in the mixed time trial relay at the World Cycling Championships in a race marked by the setbacks of the Netherlands and the spectacular fall of Annemiek van Vleuten, Wednesday in Wollongong.
Composed of Nicole Koller, Marlen Reusser, Elise Chabbey, Stefan Bissegger, Stefan Küng and Mauro Schmid, the Swiss team won ahead of Italy and Australia to succeed Germany.
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On the program for the third time at the Worlds, the event, which brings together three men and three women per team, was marked by the incredible fall of Annemiek van Vleuten, the star of women's cycling who won the three Grand Tours this year.
The Olympic time trial champion went to the ground just a few meters after the start, apparently due to a mechanical problem on her bike, hitting the pavement hard.
Stunned, her knee scraped, she only got up with difficulty, helped by a member of her team.
A blow for the overpowering Dutch team and especially for Van Vleuten who is one of the big favorites in the road race on Saturday but will first have to heal his wounds.
Pursued by bad luck, the Dutch team had already been penalized by Bauke Mollema's chain jump in the first lap of the circuit, which is completed by the men's trio before the handover to the women.
Unable to put the chain back in place, he had to change bikes and leave his two partners, Daan Hoole and Mathieu van der Poel, to finish the job alone.
The Netherlands finished fifth.
The classification of the mixed relay:
1. Switzerland the 28.2 km in 33:47
2. Italy at 2.
3. Australia at 38.
4. Germany at 45.
5. Netherlands at 51.
6. Denmark at 58.
7. France at 58.
