Germans Specialised win women’s team time-trial

German team Specialised won the inaugural women’s team time-trial on the opening day of the world road championships here on Sunday. The victorious team, led by 2008 world time-trial champion Amber Neben of the United States, completed the 34.2km course between Sittard/Geelen and Valkenburg in a time of 46min 31sec. Specialised finished 24 seconds ahead of Australian team Orica, who boasted the top two finishers in the 2011 individual time-trial in the form of Germany’s Judith Arndt and Linda Villumsen of New Zealand. Apart from Neben, 37, Specialised’s line-up also featured another American, Evelyn Stevens, Dutchwoman Ellen Van Dijk, and German trio Charlotte Becker, Trixi Worrack and Ina-Yoko Teutenberg.