The 22-year-old Team USN rider, riding for the national team, clocked a time of 24 minutes and 38 seconds for the undulating 18km out-and-back course. Compatriot Ashleigh Moolman Pasio secured the silver medal in a time of 24:58. Aurelie Halbwachs of Mauritius was third.
“It wasn’t long, but it was very tough!” said Taylor afterwards. “We are racing at high altitude over 2400m above sea level here, which makes it difficult to process oxygen properly if you’re not acclimatised. So I went out conservatively in the first half and then really gave it everything on the way back, which was into a strong headwind.”
Taylor said that with her busy racing schedule, a high altitude-adjustment build-up camp wasn’t possible.
“Barry Austin, the SA team manager advised us to rather ride to our heart rate measurement than to our power measurement and that worked out well in the end. I’m very happy to add this title to my achievements and it’s great that we scored some points towards the London Olympics too.”
The first and second places gives South Africa 13 points in the International Cycling Union’s nation rankings, which are used to determine number of start places at the 2012 London Olympic Games.
The Elite women’s road race will take place on Sunday.
