New Zealand Olympic cyclists Linda Villumsen and Sam Bewley both got on the podium on the first day of the UCI Road World Championships in the Netherlands.
Villumsen was a key part of the Orica-AIS women's team that won the silver medal in the team time trial, while Bewley's Orica GreenEdge men's combination won the bronze around the Valkenberg circuit.
It is the first time in nearly two decades that the team time trial has returned to the world championships, decided by trade teams.
New Zealand's Olympic bronze medallist Jesse Sergent was a key member of the Radioshack Nissan Trek team that finished eighth and says it was a brutally tough circuit but the professional teams took its return to the world championships seriously.
Fellow BikeNZ rider Jack Bauer was part of the Garmin Sharp team that finished 10th.
The action turns to the individual time trial tomorrow.
