Cycling: Villumsen finishes ninth in Spain

Linda Villumen finished ninth at the world championship time trial in Ponferrado, Spain today. Photo / Greg Bowker.

New Zealand's perennial world champion cycling time trial contender will have to wait another year for a crack at the title.

Linda Villumsen finished ninth at the world championship time trial in Ponferrado, Spain today, having been on the podium for this event in each of the last five years.

Villumsen, 29, was second last rider to set off ahead of defending champion Ellen van Dijk and had to cope with windier conditions along with rain late in her 30km ride.

A disappointed Villumsen said preparing for the event seven weeks after winning gold at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games had been challenging.

''She had said earlier in the week that it may have been better to have finished her season after the Commonwealth Games," Bike NZ's director sportif Craig Geater said.

"She managed to carry her form up until two weeks ago when she won the time trial and the overall in the Tour of Ardeche.

"Today the conditions were changeable and that affected the two last riders who both missed out on the podium."

Villumsen found herself nearly 15 seconds down on the leader through the first time check at 12.23km and 47s behind at the 21km mark.

She clocked 40.02.44 for ninth fastest with the young Germany Lisa Brennauer winning in 38.48.16.

Ukraine's Anna Solovey took silver in 39.06.84 and American Evelyn Stevens was third in 39.09.41, 3.