Plapp on a flyer, but Dane quicker

LUCAS Plapp set a world record but a late surge by the last rider of the day denied the emerging Australian star the world championships gold medal in the under-23 individual time trial on Monday.

Plapp (pictured) set the provisional fastest time of 34min 39.99sec on the 30.3km course from Knokke-Heist to Bruges and his finishing speed average of 52.44km/h was the fastest in world championship history.

But it was not enough to close the gap on the opening speed of Denmark’s Johan Price Pejtersen, who claimed the gold medal by 10.24s, leaving the Aussie “disappointed” with a silver medal despite recovering from a fractured elbow only five weeks ago.

It is the 20-year-old Victorian’s second silver medal in the time trial, having also placed second in the under-19 time trial in 2018.

“It’s a bit disappointing and frustrating coming second; it’s a similar feeling to three years ago,” Plapp said.

“But look, the ride he (Price Pejtersen) did to win was pretty unbelievable. When they told me the watts he did, that’s pretty insane. I don’t think anyone would’ve come close to that.

“I can’t fault my ride either, on reflection, I’ll be stoked.”

Fellow Victorian Carter Turnbull placed 15th.

European road race champion Ellen van Dijk, of the Netherlands, claimed a second time-trial title after finishing ahead of Marlen Reusser and Annemiek van Vleuten.

The 34-year-old was 10 seconds faster than Switzerland’s Reusser, who was also runnerup in the event at the Olympics, and 24sec ahead of her compatriot Van Vleuten.

Van Dijk went down the ramp more than an hour before her key rivals.