Remco Evenepoel didn’t just win a bike race on Sunday. The Belgian powerhouse didn’t just claim his third straight World Time Trial Championship. He delivered a stunning performance in Kigali, Rwanda, leaving everyone else scrambling. Evenepoel didn’t just beat the competition; he simply dominated it, crossing the finish line more than a minute ahead of the nearest rider.
The most striking moment came as Evenepoel flew through the final kilometers of the race. He actually caught and passed Tadej Pogacar. The Slovenian star, a reigning road race champion, had started two and a half minutes earlier. Watching Evenepoel ride past Pogacar was a true statement of power, a moment that will be talked about for a long time. It happened with a little over two kilometers left on the tough 40.6-kilometer course.
Pogacar himself, celebrating his 27th birthday, admitted it was a tough pill to swallow. “When he passed me, it was obviously difficult to swallow,” Pogacar said. “But it’s Remco, he’s so fast, it’s incredible how good he is in the time trial.” For Pogacar, it certainly wasn’t the best birthday present.
This World Time Trial Championship was special for many reasons. It marked the very first road World Championships held on African soil. Evenepoel’s victory put him in exclusive company. He now joins Australian Michael Rogers, who won from 2003 to 2005, and German Tony Martin, who won in 2011 and 2013, as the only riders to claim three consecutive time trial world titles. Evenepoel was the last rider to blast out of the start gate, and he didn’t waste a second. He finished the course in an incredible 49.46 minutes.
Evenepoel felt strong, telling reporters, “I was truly on a good day. I hope to keep this form for next Sunday.” This win was his 66th career victory, with a third of those coming in time trial events. He barely seemed to notice passing Pogacar, simply focused on his own effort. “It doesn’t matter if I passed him, I just wanted to ride as hard as possible,” Evenepoel stated. “It was truly a great day.”
The course itself was a beast. Riders faced four tough climbs and challenging cobbled sections, making Evenepoel’s blistering pace even more impressive. Jay Vine from Australia finished second, 1.14 minutes behind Evenepoel. Evenepoel’s fellow Belgian, Ilan van Wilder, grabbed third place, 2.36 minutes slower. Pogacar ended up in fourth, 2.37 behind the winner. Mexican rider Isaac del Toro rounded out the top five for UAE Emirates, finishing 2.40 minutes back. Despite Pogacar and Del Toro’s strong showings, their UAE Emirates team, which had already smashed the record for most wins in a single season with 86, couldn’t add another victory today.
Pogacar explained that his preparation for this time trial wasn’t ideal. He had raced two classic events in Canada, which he felt impacted his performance. However, he emphasized that those races were “essential to be 100% prepared for the road race,” which remains his “main goal” for these championships. He’s probably hoping Evenepoel gave his absolute all today and might be just “99%” for the upcoming road race.
As for other results, no Portuguese riders were in the time trial. However, two riders from Portuguese teams competed. Artem Nych, a Russian rider from Anicolor-Tien21 and winner of the Volta a Portugal, raced as a neutral athlete. He placed 22nd, 5.37 minutes behind Evenepoel. Byron Munton, a South African from Feirense-Beeceler, finished two spots higher in 20th place, 5.05 minutes behind Evenepoel.
The women’s time trial also saw a dominant performance. Swiss rider Marlen Reusser clinched her first World Championship title. Reusser is a time trial specialist, with half of her 34 career victories coming in the ‘crono’. She previously secured three European titles and two World Championship silver medals. She completed the 31.2-kilometer course in 43.09 minutes. Dutch rider Anna van der Breggen took second place, 51 seconds behind Reusser. Another Dutch rider, Demi Vollering, finished third, 1.04 minutes back. Reusser was overjoyed, saying, “I still can’t believe it. I’ve tried so many times, it feels like a dream come true.”
Evenepoel isn’t done yet. Next Sunday, at the close of the World Championships, he has a chance to make even more history. He aims to become the first cyclist to win both the time trial and road race world titles in the same year. He already pulled off this impressive double at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.