Dutch rider Anna van der Breggen finally struck gold after four consecutive silver medals in the women's individual time-trial as defending champion Chloe Dygert crashed out at the Road World Championships in Imola on Thursday.

European champion van der Breggen finished 15 seconds ahead of Swiss Marlen Reusser with fellow Dutchwomen Ellen van Dijk third at 31sec following the 31.7km race-against-the-clock in Emilia-Romagna.

Favourite Dygert, 23, of the United States crashed out while leading with the best split time halfway through. Dygert had 26sec on Reusser with a 36sec lead on van der Breggen after 14km, but lost her balance, turning off the road, and over a security barrier into a ditch.

Olympic road race champion Van der Breggen, 30, claimed time-trial silver at the Rio Olympics in 2016, and world road race gold in 2018, but had settled for four successive runner-up spots in the time-trial at worlds.