Jansson clocked a time of 1min 02.30sec to top the podium in the race, held over a distance of 15.1 kilometres.

The Swede crossed the line 0.25 seconds in front of nearest challenger Lisa Pasteiner of Austria, who narrowly missed out on the gold medal and had to settle for silver.

It became clear early on that it would be a straight battle between Jansson and Pasteiner for the crown as the pair left the rest of the field in their wake.

Bronze medallist Martina Berta was nearly two seconds adrift of Pasteiner as she managed to edge out Britain’s Sophie Wright to the third and final spot on the podium.

The men’s junior race was also a closely-fought contest as Thomas Bonnet of France emerged victorious after he completed the 19.2 kilometres course in 1:08.32.

The Frenchman proved too strong during the race, where the competitors cycled one start loop before undertaking four laps of the course itself, and took the tape 0.36 seconds ahead of Switzerland’s Vital Albin.

The Swiss rider finished in 1:09.32 to seal silver, 0.24 in front of eventual bronze medallist Tobias Halland Johannesen of Norway.

The Norwegian was involved in a straight shoot-out for the bronze medal and was able to overcome American Christopher Blevins by a 0.15 second margin.

The women’s elite event takes centre stage tomorrow before the men’s race brings the competition in the Czech Republic to a close.