Remco Evenepoel is the first elite men’s time trial world champion from Belgium

After two podiums, Remco Evenepoel became the first Belgian elite men’s time trial world champion on Friday at the Glasgow World Cycling Championships. He’s the youngest man to do so, beating two-time winner Filippo Ganna by 12 seconds. Joshua Tarling distinguished himself as the new chrono darling by rounding out the podium for Great Britian. Derek Gee improved on last year’s 19th to finish top Canadian at 18th.

The Junior Men

Earlier in the day, Canada’s Matthew Ney did well in the Junior Men’s time trial, coming 12th in a 22.7-km route affair in Stirling. Australia’s Oscar Chamberlain beat Bradley Wiggins’ son Ben by 25 second for the rainbow stripes. Germany’s Louis Leidert rounded out the podium.

The Elite Men’s Course

The longest chrono of the Worlds, the men’s route was 47.8 km in length, but like all the other time trials, it ended on a steep little climb up to Stirling Castle, the final 400 metres cobbled. There were three intermediate time checks.

The Canadian contingent was national champ Derek Gee and Nick Zukowsky.

Ahmad Badreddin Wais of the Refugee Cycling Team was the first to finish, his time 1:07:26. Irishman Ryan Mullen was over nine minutes faster, 58:21. Derek Gee got a lot of camera time as he headed towards the first time check. Two-time world champion Rohan Dennis started his final Worlds chrono before retirement.

With most of the heavies on the course, Mullen’s best time was doomed. Tarling was flying. Two-time silver medalist Wout Van Aert didn’t have a strong start and neither did Tadej Pogacar. Gee cracked Mullen’s best time at the second intermediate check with 41:35.

Ganna beat Tarling’s best first intermediate time and Evenepoel was only 4 seconds slower. It didn’t look like Stefan Küng or reigning champ Tobias Foss would be vying for the rainbow jersey after the first check.

Gee knocked Mullen off the hot seat with 58:17.

Ganna caught his 1:20 man Jay Vine at the midpoint of the race. American Lawson Craddock cracked Gee’s top finish time by 21 seconds. In short order Nelson Oliveira took over the lead. Dennis had to take a neutral bike on the cobbles, which scuppered his chances. Tarling smashed Oliveira’s time with 56:07.

At intermediate check 2, Ganna was 13 seconds faster than Tarling, but Evenpoel was even quicker. Ganna overtook Pogacar. At the final check Remco was 10 seconds faster than the Italian. The Belgian won by 12 seconds.

Saturday is the penultimate race of the road classifications, the U23 men’s road race.

2023 Time Trial World Championships, Elite Men
1) Remco Evenepoel (Belgium) 55:19
2) Filippo Ganna (Italy) +0:12
3) Joshua Tarling (Great Britain) +0:48
18) Derek Gee (Canada) +2:57
45) Nick Zukowsky (Canada) +6:50