The Dutchwoman’s time of 36min 41sec proved too hot for the rest of the field to handle, with Van der Breggen, winner of the road race at Rio 2016, having to settle for silver at the European Road Cycling Championships.

The Olympic gold medallist completed the course in 36:59, 18 seconds adrift of Van Dijk, the double World Championships time trial winner.

Olga Zabelinskaya of Russia, who was second in the time trial at Rio 2016, took home the bronze in 37:04.

The Russian was subjected to criticism during the Games in the Brazilian city after being cleared to compete despite having served an 18-month doping ban.

The 35-year-old tested positive for the banned weight loss stimulant octopamine following an in-competition test in March 2014.

She was allowed to take part in Rio despite the International Olympic Committee Executive Board recommending all Russian athletes who had previously failed a drugs test be excluded from the Olympics.

Spaniard Jonathan Castroviejo justified his status as the pre-race favourite in the men’s event by storming to the summit of the podium after he clocked a time of 58:13.

Movistar rider Castroviejo, who was 24^th on the overall classification at the 2015 Tour de France, ended 30 seconds in front of Belgian Victor Campenaerts.

The Belgian competitor finished in 58:43, with bronze going the way of Italian Moreno Moser.

The Championships were originally due to be held in Nice, but the city pulled out after announcing they were cancelling all sport and cultural events following the deadly lorry attack during Bastille Day celebrations on July 14 left 85 people dead and more than 200 injured.

Plumelec was chosen only last month, ahead of rival bids from Britain and Italy.

Tomorrow’s action at the European Road Cycling Championships sees the junior men’s and women’s races take centre stage.