Kwiatkowski Academy rider wins the junior women's time trial; Britain's Aalia Clay takes bronze

The 18-year-old Pole was confident going into Tuesday's race: “To be honest, it was my main goal since the start of the season, so I was preparing for it for the whole season." she told CyclingNews. "I came to Canada, I did a really good recon, and on the start line I could feel that it's my day, and if everything will go well, then I can do it."

When asked about her idols, Okrucińska immediately names two famous Polish riders.

“I think, especially Michal Kwiatkowski from in whose academy I'm in Poland, in CCC Copernicus. So he was always close to me in my city, and I was always a really big fan of him. And in the last days, I could train with him and talk with him, talk with him, and yeah, as well with Kasia. We are in contact for the whole year, and I feel a really big support from them."

British time trial champion Clay set a time of 15:42, 24 seconds behind Okrucińska. Clay's time was just seven hundredths of a second faster than Switzerland’s Anja Grossmann, securing the final podium place by a whisker.

"It means a lot," Clay told Cycling Weekly after the race. "It was pretty unexpected to me, and it’s pretty exciting."

This was the 17-year-old's first appearance at a World Championships, but she's already got her eyes on a higher prize: "Hopefully to continue with this form next year and maybe world champion next year - that would be really cool," she concluded.

First up, however, she's got the small matter of the women's junior road race. Clay will line up as part of GB's 5 rider team and aim to get on the podium again.

1. Maria Okrucińska (Poland)
2. Yara Decruyenaere (Belgium) + 0.12
3. Aalia Clay (Great Britain) + 0.24
4. Anja Grossmann (Switzerland) + 0.25
5. Laura Fivé (Belgium) + 0.35