Double title holder, Remco Evenepoel crushes the competition and retains its crown on the time trial

Among women, the Swiss Marlen Reusser won her first world crown on Sunday in Rwanda.

The king of the time trial is Remco Evenepoel. Olympic champion and double reigning world champion in the discipline, the Belgian runner has retained his world crown on the Chrono of the Worlds, Sunday, September 21, in Rwanda. The Belgian preceded the Australian Jay Vine (+1'14 '') and his compatriot Ilan Van Wilder (+2'36 '') At the end of the time trial of the first world cycling championships organized in Africa. Slovenian Tadej Pogacar, fourth on arrival, misses the podium for a small second. The two French engaged, Paul Seixas and Bruno Armirail, finished 8e (+3’06”) et 16e (+4’14”).

On a demanding course (680 M of elevation gain in 40.6 km), Remco Evenepoel delivered a demonstration, even offering the luxury of catching up and then exceeding Tadej Pogacar, who left two minutes and thirty seconds before him. A strong image that symbolizes the performance of the Belgian, untouchable on this exercise despite the four ascents that punctuated the route. “The legs were good, but the first ascent was very hard, I pushed a lot on the pedals, I saw that I had made a big difference so I continued”, A résumé Remco Evenepoel.

If he said he had “hated” The last paved ascent is in this one that he was able to catch Tadej Pogacar. “”On a day like today, it doesn't matter who is in front of me, I push thoroughly. I was trying to recover well in the descents. It was super hard in the last bump, I didn't want to put myself in the red, even if it was Tadej in front “assured the Belgian, happy to see his teammate Ilan Van Wilder take the bronze medal: “It's a great day for Belgium.”

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At 25, Remco Evenepoel confirmed his exceptional roller status, becoming the third triple world champion (immediately) of the time trial, after two references in the matter: Australia Michael Rogers (2003, 2004, 2005) and German Tony Martin (2011, 2012, 2013). “I do the hat-trick like two impressive guys, I hope to get a fourth next year, but I will especially enjoy this one and then focus on the online race next Sunday”promised the Belgian.

Among women, Marlen Reusser has imposed himself. Second in 2020 and 2021, third in 2022, the Swiss, 34, finally found the way to the highest step of the podium, on which she is ahead of the Dutch Anna van der Breggen and a half vollering of 51 '' and 1'04 '', at the end of a demanding course of 31 km in the streets of the Rwandan capital. On the French side, Juliette Labous finished seventh, and Cédrine Kerbaol 13th.