Copenhagen - Former world road race champion Judith Arndt defied the wet conditions to claim her maiden time trial gold at the world road championships on Tuesday.
Arndt scorched over a rain-hit and technical 27.8km course to clock a winning time of 37min 07.38sec, pushing Danish-born New Zealander Linda Villumsen down to second place.
Villumsen timed 37:29.11 to take the silver medal while Britain's defending champion Emma Pooley took the bronze in 37:31.51.
Arndt, who won the road race gold in 2004, has been attempting to win the worlds time trial for years and came close to her goal last year when she finished second behind Pooley on a far more difficult course in Australia.
In 2010, it was the same three riders on the podium, with Villumsen finishing in third place.
Pooley, a climbing specialist, came into the race playing down her medal hopes because of the flat and technical profile of the course in the Danish capital.
However, the Swiss-based professional put in an impressive display, coming over the halfway line in provisional second place and going on to challenge for a medal on the second of the two circuits.
Canada's women meanwhile were among the biggest losers on the day.
In drier conditions former Olympic speed skater Clara Hughes had topped the provisional podium when she set an early benchmark of 37:44, and she survived for most of the race until being pushed into second by compatriot Tara Whitten.
In the end, Whitten missed out on the bronze by 2.3sec, with Hughes finishing fifth - a further 10secs off the pace.
Results from the second day of the road world championships on Tuesday:
Women
Time trial (27.8 km)
1. Judith Arndt (GER) 37min 07.38sec, 2. Linda Villumsen (NZL) at 21.73, 3. Emma Pooley (GBR) 24.13, 4. Tara Whitten (CAN) 26.16, 5. Clara Hughes (CAN) 36.79, 6. Eleonora Van Dijk (NED) 38.88, 7. Rhae-Christie Shaw (CAN) 39.23, 8. Amber Neben (USA) 41.09, 9. Emilia Fahlin (SWE) 55.06, 10. Marianne Vos (NED) 55.77, 11. Ina Teutenberg (GER) 56.14, 12. Shara Gillow (AUS) 1:00.55, 13. Elena Tchalykh (AZE) 1:00.84, 14. Emma Johansson (SWE) 1:01.13, 15. Evelyn Stevens (USA) 1:21.73
Selected: 31. Taryn Heather (AUS) 3:08.71, 40. Nontasin Chanpeng (THA) 3:59.35, 45. Monrudee Chapookham (THA) 4:21.88, 47. Dinah Chan (SIN) 4:56.11
Junior men
Time trial (27.8 km)
1. Mads Wurtz Schmidt (DEN) 35min 07sec, 2. James Oram (NZL) 35:11, 3. David Edwards (AUS) 35:28, 4. Markus Faglum-Karlsson (SWE) 35:40, 5. Juriy Vasyliv (GER) 35:46, 6. Casper Von Folsach (DEN) 35:47, 7. Kristopher Jorgenson (USA) 35:54, 8. Jon Dibben (GBR) 35:55, 9. Pierre-Henri Lecuisinier (FRA) 35:56, 10. Sondre Enger (NOR) 35:57