In a race missing Wiggins, the 27-year-old Martin beat America's Taylor Phinney over the demanding 45.7 kilometres course to win for the second consecutive year having also triumphed in Copenhagen 12 months ago. 

"There was a lot of pressure on me, the stress was pretty different to handle, everybody was looking at me," said Martin, who broke his wrist during the Tour de France. 

"I did not expect it to be so hard, I had to give everything, I was totally dead.

"The finale was the hardest ever in my career."

Martin, who on Sunday (September 16) won a gold medal in the team time trial event with Omega Pharma-Quick Step, clocked 58min 39sec to beat Phinney by more than five seconds. 

Vasil Kiryienka of Belarus, who will join Britain's Team Sky on a three-year deal next season, took the bronze medal. 

Phinney's silver made up for missing out on a medal at London 2012, where he finished fourth. 

"There were so many turns, so much Dutch road furniture like the roundabouts," he said.

"I could have done some things differently, have gone faster, but I had the best time trial of my life.

"I had a better ride than at the Olympics, that was all I could ask for today."

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