Evenepoel already thinking ahead after unique time trial performance: 'Good start to the World Championships'

Evenepoel was the clear favourite going into the race and more than lived up to those expectations. At the first intermediate checkpoint, he was already well ahead of his rivals, and he only continued to extend that lead. At the finish line, he left second-place finisher Filippo Ganna a whopping 57 seconds behind. What a way to claim his fourth consecutive world title —a truly unique achievement.

Evenepoel was, therefore, overjoyed with this unprecedented achievement. “It’s unbelievable,” he exclaimed during the flash interview. It was all thanks to meticulous preparation. “Of course, the goal was to win here for the fourth year in a row—that was a huge motivator. I have to thank my entire team for their preparation, and Specialized for the new equipment.”

Despite the difference, it wasn't an easy race for the Belgian superstar. “It was quite a fast race today; I’m really happy with how it felt in the turns. It was a challenging course, with a technical start and finish and a power section in the middle,” he said, analyzing the 39.2-kilometer time trial around Montréal. “But I’m really happy—it was a great experience.”

While Marlen Reusser—the women’s world champion—didn’t want to see her split times, for Evenepoel it worked exactly the opposite way. “After six kilometers, we had a personal time check. That’s when I knew I was already ahead of the rest. I thought I’d gone a little too hard at the first checkpoint, but I was able to keep pushing. I felt great all day. It’s a promising start to the World Championships.”

Because the World Cycling Championships in Canada are far from over for Evenepoel. He already became road world champion in 2022, but he wants to repeat that feat. If he were to win that rainbow jersey as well, he’d be the first rider to claim both world titles in a single year. “There’s plenty of time to rest and enjoy this special victory. After that, it’s full focus on Sunday—starting Tuesday,” he concludes with a laugh.