Tony Martin ends career with German mixed time trial world title

Tony Martin ended his glittering career in style on Wednesday with a fifth career world title as Germany took mixed team time trial gold in Flanders, reported dpa.

Martin teamed up with Max Walscheid and Nikias Arndt on the first leg for the men, handing over in second place to the women's trio of Olympic track team pursuit champions Lisa Klein, Lisa Brennauer and Mieke Kroeger clinched victory.

The Germans clocked 50 minutes 49 seconds on the 44.5-kilometres course from Knokke-Heist to Bruges. The Netherlands including women's world champion Ellen van Dijk and Olympic champion Annemiek van Vleuten took silver 12 seconds back.

Italy, who with men's champion Fabio Ganna had led after the men's portion, pipped Switzerland for bronze,

It was the last career race for Martin who won four men's time trial world titles in his career, an Olympic silver and several stages at the Tour de France and Vuelta. The 36-year-old had missed a final men's medal in sixth on Sunday.