Agencies/Valkenburg, NetherlandsGermany’s Judith Arndt retained her women’s time-trial title at the cycling world road championships here yesterday. The 36-year-old, Olympic silver medallist in London, beat American Evelyn Stevens by 33sec with New Zealand’s Linda Villumsen third at 40sec after the 24.3sec race from Eijsden to here. Britain’s Emma Pooley, the 2010 world time-trial winner, finished fourth at 49sec. Arndt won the world road race title in 2004. Arndt put in a smooth and powerful performance to defend her UCI Road World Championships women’s individual time trial in Valkenburg, Nederlands.The German clocked 32 minutes and 26.46sec to finish comfortably 34 seconds ahead of Evelyn Stevens (USA) and 2011 silver medallist Linda Villumsen of New Zealand.Martina Sablikova of the Czech Republic set the early benchmark which she held until Ina Teutenberg (GER) bumped her off the hot seat.Dutchwoman Ellen van Dijk was the next rider to hold the lead, pushing Teutenberg into second as the remaining riders left the start gates.But van Dijk’s time at the top was short lived as Evelyn Stevens of the United States blew the race open with a powerful ride of her own.Stevens waited as both Great Britain’s Emma Pooley, third place in 2011, and Villumsen struggled over the Cauberg climb to fall just short of bettering her time.Last out of the start gate, the veteran Arndt never looked under any pressure as she competed in her last world championship time-trial before retirement at the end of the 2012 season.Winning looked a formality for the German rider from the Orica-AIS womens team as she passed through all the on course time checks on schedule.Arndt then hit the finish with nothing left in the tank but time in hand to record her second victory in as many years.Australia’s Shara Gillow continued her progress to the top level in women’s professional cycling, posting a top ten time and improving on her 12th place at the 2011 UCI Road World championships and 13th at the London 2012 Olympic Games.Meanwhile, Welsh rider Elinor Barker yesterday won the women’s junior time-trial gold at the world road championships here. Barker, the silver medallist last year and European pursuit champion this summer, finished 35sec ahead of Denmark’s Cecilie Ludwig with Dutch rider Demi Di Jong third at 1min 03sec after the 15.6km race. The 18-year-old becomes the first British rider to win gold in this event since former Olympic champion Nicole Cooke in 2001. Results: Elite Women’s time-trial: 24.1km: 1 Judith Arndt (GER) 32min 26.46sec; 2 Evelyn Stevens (USA) 0:00:33.77; 3 Linda Villumsen (NZL) 0:00:40.57; 4 Emma Pooley (GBR) 0:00:49.33; 5 Eleonora Van Dijk (NED) 0:00:54.01; 6 Ina Teutenberg (GER) 0:01:33.74; 7 Amber Neben (USA) 0:01:43.42; 8 Trixi Worrack (GER) 0:01:44.56; 9 Martina Sablikova (CZE) 0:01:59.44; 10 Shara Gillow (AUS) 0:01:59.75