Germany's Judith Arndt snatched her maiden time trial gold medal when she beat her competitors on a wet course at the 2011 road world championships in Denmark earlier today.

Despite wet conditions that affected the pre-race favourites, the 35-year-old Arndt, who won the road race at the 2004 world championships, clocked a best time of 37 minutes 07.38 seconds over 27.8 kilometers in Copenhagen.

Danish-born Linda Melanie Villumsen of New Zealand finished second, 21.73 seconds behind, while Briton Emma Pooley, the 2010 world champion, proudly fought her way to a bronze medal finishing 24.13 off the pace.

American Amber Neben, widely tipped to challenge Arndt on the flat, technical course, finished a disappointing eighth.

Arndt, who was second behind Pooley last year, stirred controversy at the 2004 Olympic Games when she showed her middle finger as she crossed the line to protest against the omission by the German Cycling Federation of her girlfriend Petra Rossner.

Arndt, who won the silver medal in the Olympic road race in Athens, started cautiously but finished extremely strong, taking the virtual lead at the third time split, holding back her tears until the podium ceremony.

"Today could not have been better," Arndt told Roadcycling.com and Roadcycling.mobi and added "I was feeling very confident after having a lot of time trial success this season, and I was feeling good physically also, after preparing my legs in the Giro Della Toscana last week."

"The bike was working perfectly, I didn't have to think about it, I just concentrated on having a perfect race."

"There were a lot of corners and the course was wet, but I was able to handle everything and made no mistakes or had mechanical issues," Arndt concluded.

Watch video highlights from the 2011 road cycling world championships in the video section on Roadcycling.com.