World time trial champion Remco Evenepoel won his second title in the event this Sunday in Zurich. The Belgian was stronger than the elements, with a chain jump before the start and a power meter breaking down during the race.
By his own admission, Remco Evenepoel experienced the “most complicated” time trial of his career. However, that did not prevent the Belgian from experiencing a second world title in the event this Sunday in Zurich, a few weeks after his Olympic double in Paris.
“It will be a great story to tell my children.”
As in 2023, the Belgian beat the Italian Filippo Ganna, world time trial champion in 2020 and 2021. Remco Evenepoel had a scare right from the start. “My chain fell off a minute before the start and the power meter wasn’t working,” said the 24-year-old. “I had to go by feel. It was difficult to keep the right pace because I was going a bit blindly.”
Finally, Remco Evenepoel managed to set up with 25 seconds to go. But from the very first moments, he realised he had a problem with his sensor. “It was really problematic,” admitted the man who finished third in the Tour de France this summer. “Well, we had to do without it… But with these two problems in quick succession, I was clearly not in the best position to set a good time and go for the title. And yet, I did it. It will be a great story to tell my children in the future.”
A new double after the Olympics?
After experiencing a logical decompression following his summer, Remco Evenepoel “found” his form in time. “I struggled in the last two or three kilometers,” the Belgian confided. “But in a championship we don’t care about the gaps. In the end it was another good day.”
Next Sunday, Remco Evenepoel will have the opportunity to also win a second world title in the road race, two years after the first in Australia. The course in Zurich will perfectly suit the qualities of the Soudal-QuickStep prodigy. On the other hand, he will have to get the better of Tadej Pogacar, who is openly aiming for his first title.
