Megan Arens may not have had the smoothest preparations for the World Championships in Rwanda, but something about her exam-interrupted run-in clearly worked as she earned the Netherlands their first gold of the event with her junior time trial victory.
Arens, who turned 18 in March, was finishing high school this summer, mixing exams with a busy junior racing calendar. She still raced during the May exam period – taking second at the junior editions of Gent-Wevelgem and the Tour of Flanders on the way – but couldn't train as much as she wanted.
However, focusing on shorter, solo efforts may have actually proved a plus for the Dutch rider.
"I had a really stressful year, because I finished high school this year, so I had a lot of exams and it was really stressful," she explained.
"So that meant that I couldn't really train as much as other people maybe, but I could focus good on time trials, because those trainings are not really long. So I think that was a good preparation for this."
The hilly and cobbled course in Kigali was no easy task – especially for a rider who mainly trained in the flat Netherlands – and has seen many riders come undone, including pre-race favourite Erin Boothman (Great Britain), who unclipped on the cobbled climb, but Arens put her win down to a calm and collected strategy.
"I think that at the beginning of the race, I tried to pace really good, because in the first downhill you can push yourself too hard," she explained.
"And you had to believe in yourself that in the downhill parts you could take some rest because that's good, and so that in the other uphill parts you can go full out. So I think that was my plan, and it worked out well. If you speak about a secret, I think that's what it is."
Despite the Dutch federation making cuts to their age-category and youth programmes ahead of the Rwanda Worlds, with no under-23 riders selected for the event, the juniors still made it to Kigali.
Arens even managed to go on an altitude camp ahead of the Worlds, along with her brother, father and the other junior women's riders. Winner of the junior time trial at the Dutch national championships, the TT in Kigali was a specific goal for the 18-year-old, and there was an outpouring of emotion and tears when she found out she had won.
"It's unbelievable," she said. "I still cannot believe it, actually. I worked so hard for this, and that it worked out is unbelievable."
Arens doesn't yet have a team announced for next year – her podium companions Paula Ostiz and Oda Gissinger are already confirmed for Movistar and Coop-Repsol respectively – but it would be surprising, with her results this year, if she hasn't already inked a deal somewhere. If she hasn't, she can expect a lot of interest after this result.
Though many junior riders, like Cat Ferguson, have jumped straight into winning ways in the elite race, Arens is hoping for a more measured development as she looks to emulate her compatriot and inspiration, Demi Vollering.
"I think for next year it's mainly focusing on learning to ride in a big peloton," she said. "I hope to see myself riding good stage races, and mainly the mountain races and time trials, of course."
Subscribe to Cyclingnews to unlock unlimited access to our coverage of the first-ever UCI Road World Championships on African soil. Our team of journalists will bring you all the major storylines, in-depth analysis, and more directly from the action in Rwanda as the next rainbow jerseys are decided. Find out more.
