The Belgian Remco Evenepoel was crowned world champion in the time trial on Friday in Sterling as part of the “Super Worlds” of cycling in Scotland. On a 47.8 km course, the Flemish prodigy, world champion in road racing in 2022, won at the foot of the medieval castle of Sterling with 12 seconds ahead of the Italian Filippo Ganna and 48 over the young Briton Joshua Tarling, only 19 years old.
The other favorites finished much further. The Belgian Wout Van Aert finished 5th at 1 min 37 sec, the Swiss Stefan Kung ranked only 12th and the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar 22nd. The French Bruno Armirail Rémy Cavagna finished respectively in 21st and 26th place.
This is the first world time trial title for Evenepoel, who gave up his rainbow jersey in the road race to Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel last Sunday in Glasgow. Five days later, he got a resounding revenge in a thrilling long-distance mano a mano with Ganna, world time trial champion in 2020 and 2021.
Bent over his bike in a perfect aerodynamic position, Evenepoel took the lead in the second split time, even overtaking Briton Geraint Thomas on the way. He maintained his lead in the final stretch to win after a final climb on the cobbled streets of Sterling.
With this title, the 23-year-old champion, winner of the last Vuelta, won the twelfth time of his career. The Soudal Quick-Step team rider had already taken silver at the 2019 Worlds, then two bronze medals in 2021 and 2022 in this exercise. He succeeds Norwegian Tobias Foss who surprised all the favorites last year in Australia and finished 11th on Friday.
