Stevens celebrates second medal at this year's road Worlds

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Evelyn Stevens (United States) picked up her second medal in this year's road world championships with silver in the women's individual time trial. The American all-rounder won gold in the team time trial with her Specialized - lululemon squad on the first day of the championships, but finished second to Germany's Judith Arndt in Tuesday's 24.1-kilometre test against the clock.

Stevens crossed the line to take the lead but had a nervous wait with six riders still out on the course. When Britain's Emma Pooley could only manage second, Stevens was assured of a medal with only Arndt and Linda Villumsen (New Zealand) still to finish.

"There were women that I've never beaten at this level on this scale, so for me, it was a nervous wait," she told Cyclingnews after the race.

"I knew I had a good time trial so I was there sitting and waiting, but I know that to beat Judith would have been very challenging. I gave it all I could and I left it all out there on the course. Of course you always want to win, but I was pretty happy with what I was able to do today.

Stevens, who admitted that her time trial skills were not as accomplished as some of her top rivals, was only six seconds behind Arndt at the first time check but was tied with Pooley and Villumsen at the 10.7-kilometre mark. She picked up speed over the second part of the course, relegating Villumsen to bronze and Pooley to fourth.

"I just went out hard. It's only 24.1km, so it wasn't that long. I knew I just had to go out as hard as I could and I tried to split up into a bunch of different time trials. For me the Cauberg was a prologue. I didn't even think about it until I got to the foot of the climb, and then it was about giving it everything, and getting everything out of my system.

"Actually, the false flat after the climb was probably the most important bit," she said. "But I think the whole course is key, when it's only 24.1km every kilometre matters, especially when you're competing against such good competition."

Stevens missed out on Olympic time trial selection to fellow Americans Amber Neben and Kristin Armstrong, but after winning a silver, and with the road race still to come, she has already earmarked the Rio Olympic Games in 2016 as a target.

"It was very disappointing not to get the trial ride at the Olympics, but you can't have everything go in your favour and I've had a pretty great career so far. It's good motivation and it makes me want it, and to go to the next Olympics and win really bad."