Hat trick! Alec Segaert crushes the competition and becomes European U23 time trial champion for the third time in a row

Alec Segaert has lived up to his role as favourite at the European U23 time trial championships. There was nothing to be done against the Lotto Dstny rider, who took gold with a lead of more than half a minute. Robin Orins just missed out on the podium.

The 21-year-old Segaert needed 35:06 (average 53.5 km/h) for the 31.3 km between Heusden-Zolder and Hasselt on Wednesday. He was half a minute faster than the Swede Jakob Söderqvist (35:37). The Dutchman Wessel Mouris (35:40) finished third.

The 22-year-old Robin Orins, the second Belgian among the men’s promises, just missed out on the podium with the fourth time (36:04).

Alec Segaert won his first European time trial title among the U23s in 2022 in Anadia, Portugal. A year later, he succeeded himself in Drenthe, the Netherlands. In 2021, he also won time trial gold among the juniors.

The West Flemish, who is a pro at Lotto Dstny, won silver in the Belgian time trial championship for professionals in June behind Tim Wellens. He also recently won the individual time trial in the Renewi Tour (WorldTour) and finished second in the final classification, again behind Wellens.