The silver medal went to Germany's Lisa Brennauer – the world time trial champion – having narrowly been beaten by Ferrand-Prévot in a photo finish, while Emma Johansson of Sweden won the bronze medal.

Vos could only finish tenth in the race – the first time since the 2005 Championships that Vos had not won a medal – after her attack on the final climb (along with Johansson, Lizzie Armitstead and Elisa Longo Borghini) was negated in the closing kilometres, which led to a regrouping of 15 riders prior to the final sprint.

[5] The first 4 km (2.5 mi) were flat, after which the climb to Alto de Montearenas started, with an average gradient of 8%.

After a few hundred metres the ascent flattened and the remaining 5.1 km (3.2 mi) were at an average gradient of 3.5%.

The Alto de Compostilla was a short climb of 1.1 km (0.68 mi), at an average gradient is 6.5% with some of the steepest parts at 11%.