Remco Evenepoel It’s unstoppable. The Belgian cyclist has become world time trial champion for the second year in a row. He won the event held in Zurich, where the 2024 Cycling World Cup will take place. He thus caps off a spectacular year, in which he won the Olympic gold medals in Paris both on the road and against the clock and in which he finished third in the Tour de France, after Pogacar and Vingegaard.
The Olympic champion was the big favorite, but he had competition. They appeared Filippo Ganna –who finished second– or the British Joshua Tarling – for whom the test lasted a long time – as great threats. But the Belgian did not leave any options at any time. Only at the end, after sweeping the three previous sets, doubts hovered over his victory, but he ended up taking a six-second lead over the Italian. He finished in third position Edoardo Affini, who produced a superb finish to finish ahead of Tarling, Vine and Roglic, who did not have his best day.
In this way, Remco Evenepoel adds his third world title as a professional. He already won the road test in 2022, he also won the time trial last year and, this year, he repeated the rainbow. He achieved this in a year in which he won Olympic gold in both events at the Paris Games, becoming the first male cyclist in history to do so.
Ganna He finished second in a test in which he managed to arouse an emotion that seemed not to have existed since the first set. The Italian was setting the best time every second, but when he passed the intermediate point Evenepoel, he ousted him with force. However, in a beautiful finale, he managed to push and demand the maximum from the Soudal Quick-Step team. With a difference of 20 seconds, he managed to reduce it to just six, eventually winning the silver medal.
The bronze went to the European champion of the discipline, also Italian. Edoardo Affini He surprised with a fine final straight to set a time to consider, which neither Tarling nor Vine could beat. He was 58 seconds behind Evenepoel’s victory.
Nobody can beat Evenepoel
Primoz Roglic He was another of the great candidates, but he didn’t have his time. The Slovenian was overtaken by Ganna a few meters from the finish line. From the beginning, it was clear that he was not a candidate for the podium, since he lost 37 seconds on the best time. He finished in twelfth position, 2h06 behind Remco. The two Spaniards, David de la Cruz And Raul Garcia Pierna, They finished far from the best times. They were respectively 25th and 26th, 3h26 and 3h36 behind the Belgian.
Next Sunday the World Cup will close with the road test. In this one, Evenepoel He will leave as one of the big favourites. The Belgian will be able to continue writing history, after his double in Paris, even if it will not be easy at all, since They are going the Poel And Pogacar They are also on the shortlist of candidates to dress in rainbows.
