Tasmanian cyclist Felicity Wilson-Haffenden has won her third world title, taking out the women’s under-23 individual time trial at the UCI Road World Championships in Montréal.
The 21-year-old from Glendevie in the Huon Valley, only took up cycling five years ago and also won Commonwealth Games team pursuit gold in July.
“To sit here now, three years later with already three world titles, I never would have believed it to be honest,” she said.
She won by 28 seconds on the windy 20.3-kilometre course, clocking 27:40.72 at an average of more than 44kph.
Nienke Vinke of the Netherlands finished second, with Belgium’s Luca Vierstraete third.
Wilson-Haffenden had already won a world title as a junior in 2023 and was part of last year’s winning mixed relay team.
“I can be pretty happy with that,” she said.
“When I was a junior, I was unknown, no-one knew who I was and it was an incredible experience.”
“The mixed relay last year was as a team and was a lot of fun and this year is really the first time I’ve experienced being the favourite for something.”
Wilson-Haffenden described what she called a “spectacular finish collapse” after the long uphill drag to the line.
The win capped a big 24 hours, with Wilson-Haffenden named in the Australian team for the UCI Track World Championships in Shanghai in October.
She is chasing a fourth rainbow jersey – the distinctive jersey worn by the current world champion in a particular cycling discipline- in the 40.6km mixed relay team time trial alongside fellow Tasmanian Georgia Baker, Conor Leahy, Michael Matthews, Cameron Rogers and Mackenzie Coupland.
“My resources might be a bit empty but my adrenaline will be through the roof,” she said.
Tasmania has a record four riders at the championships, with Devonport’s Oliver Sims, 20 and Hobart’s Annie Kleywegt, 18, also selected.
