GLASGOW (AFP) -- Three years after a horror crash almost ended her career, Chloe Dygert of the United States won the women's time trial at the cycling world championships on Thursday, Aug. 10.

Dygert was world champion in 2019 but in a frightening accident during the defence of the title at the 2020 worlds in Imola, Italy, she careered over a roadside barrier, leading to emergency surgery on her leg.

After two further bouts of surgery her left leg is now an inch (3cm) shorter.

Dygert showed a week ago her form was back, however, by winning a track cycling gold in the individual pursuit at the velodrome in Glasgow and qualifying for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

There she did a victory lap of the track holding the American flag, little knowing she was amongst many who had picked up a respiratory bug at the noisy indoor event.

"I spent the last four days praying to God to be OK today," she said after her win.

"If the race had been yesterday I'm not sure I'd have started," said the champion, who has also undergone heart surgery and overcome a bout of the Epstein Barr virus.

Setting a pulsating early time on Thursday, the American took the title five seconds ahead of Grace Brown of Australia with Austria's Christina Schweinberger in third, 1min 12sec off the pace.

Dygert's blistering pace of 46min 59sec on the 36.2km course that culminated with a steep climb to the imposing Stirling Castle stunned the field with only Brown getting anywhere near the champion.

"This title is truly special," said the 26-year-old.

"Not just for me, for everybody behind me: the team, USA Cycling, my family, my personal team, this means a lot for us. I'm really thankful."

Pre-race favorite Marlen Reusser, a faller in the mixed relay time trial, abandoned the race in tears half way through while 2022 champion Ellen van Dijk was absent due to her pregnancy.

Another threat was Women's Tour de France winner Demi Vollering of the Netherlands, who came in sixth.

"No regrets, I came close to a medal," said the Dutch rider.

With 86 riders going down the ramp at 75-second intervals Arefa Amini of Afghanistan was first to start and ended 21min 49sec slower than the winner.

Her compatriot Fariba Hashimi, however, was less than ten minutes off the pace in 66th place.

Dygert embarked way before the other main contenders and faced a long wait before she was crowned champion.

In the mountain bike short track cross country race, New Zealand's Sam Gaze took gold ahead of Frenchman Victor Koretzky and Britain's Tom Pidcock.

Pidcock brushed off a claim he had driven rival rider Luca Schwarzbauer off the track on the final corner.

"It's part of racing," Pidcock said. "I went for the inside and pushed him out on to the gravel and then Luca crashed unfortunately."

Pauline Ferrand-Prevot of France defended her world title in the women's short track ahead of Puck Pieterse of the Netherlands and Britain's Evie Richards.