Remco Evenepoel retains title at world time trial championships

Belgian cyclist Remco Evenepoel has retained his world time trial title on Sunday. In Zurich, Switzerland, he was six seconds faster over 46.1 km than Italian Filippo Ganna, the 2020 and 2021 world champion. Evenepoel is the first male cyclist to become both Olympic and world champion against the clock in the same year.

The hunt for another title started particularly hectic for Evenepoel. Due to chain problems, his bike was tinkered with until the last moment on the starting podium. Thankfully, he was able to start just in time.

At the first intermediate point, after 12.5 km, Evenepoel set the fastest time. He was six seconds faster there than Ganna and 12 seconds faster than young Briton Joshua Tarling. At the second intermediate point, it was clear that either Evenepoel or Ganna would win the world title. At the finish, the 24-year-old Belgian was six seconds ahead of his Italian rival, enough time to celebrate by throwing his arms in the air when he crossed the line.

“This was the hardest time trial of my life,” said Evenepoel to sports channel Sporza after the race. He revealed that he had problems with his power meter, which made things extra complicated. “But in the end, you have to be able to feel your body properly if you want to win,” he said. “This is making history once again,” he added. Evenepoel earlier this season came third in the Tour de France and obtained gold medals in both the Olympic time trial and road race.

Bronze for De Wilde

Julie De Wilde had given Team Belgium a first medal at the world cycling championships earlier in the day. She took the bronze medal in the women's U23 time trial. In the women's elite individual time trial competition, Lotte Kopecky didn’t manage to obtain a medal. Kopecky finished in fifth place.

^{#FlandersNewsService | Belgian cyclist Remco Evenepoel celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win at the men elite time trial race at the World Championships, 22 September 2024, in Zurich, Switzerland © BELGA PHOTO JASPER JACOBS}