time trial

American  

noun

Sports.

1. a race in which competitors are timed individually on a set distance over a course or track, especially to qualify for a successive event.

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time trial British  

noun

1. (esp in cycling) a race in which the competitors compete against the clock over a specified course

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Other Word Forms

• time-trialling
  noun

Etymology

Origin of time trial

First recorded in 1855–60

Example Sentences

The cross-country skiers continue their busy programme at the Tesero Stadium with the 10km interval events - essentially a time trial.

From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026

In the only Olympic long-track speedskating race with more than two competitors on the ice, the event is much more than a pure time trial.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 21, 2026

Belgian star Remco Evenepoel continued his excellent start to the season with victory in a second-stage time trial to take the overall lead of the UAE Tour on Tuesday.

From Barron's • Feb. 17, 2026

Elsewhere, Joe Truman took bronze in the men's 1km time trial - behind the Dutch duo of Harrie Lavreysen and Jeffrey Hoogland - to match his achievement from 12 months ago.

From BBC • Oct. 25, 2025

On April 10, Ulbrickson finally staged the formal time trial that was to determine who would race as the varsity.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown