"I don't think I lost because of that" - Filippo Ganna's time trial World Championships bid eclipsed by another monster Remco Evenepoel ride
Cycling
Filippo ganna has admitted he has no sour grapes when he looks back on the 2026 World Championships time trial. He didn't come for a silver medal, but will have to settle for just that after a monster Remco Evenepoel ride came with the same result.
A fourth world title in a row for the Belgian seemed clear from the first time check as Evenepoel showed remarkable legs despite what looked like strong showings from the other contenders before he came last out of the gate.
Jakob Soderqvist set the early benchmark at the second intermediate check, with Paul Seixas and Ganna five seconds behind, but Evenepoel blew those markers out of the water as he passed over 34 seconds faster than the Swede.
Soderqvist suffered a fall in the latter stages and missed out, but while Ganna surged past Seixas into second, he was powerless to halt the Evenepoel tidal wave - finishing 57 seconds slower than him.
"I'm happy with my performance," Ganna told CyclingProNet after the time trial.
"I gave it my all, maybe even more. I reached the finish line having given it my all, and the numbers were right. I don't know where I wasted time, but numerically we did everything well, I have nothing to complain about."
Filippo Ganna at the 2026 World Championships
Ganna doesn't think uphill sections cost him
The two-time world champion admitted that a technical and slightly uphill finale didn't suit him, but knows that he lost to a stronger rider. The Italian will keep knocking at the door as he aims to get back on the top podium for the first time since 2021.
"The last section was the most technical, and the slightly uphill stretch to the finish was challenging, but I don't think I lost because of that.
"We're always close to knocking on the door, I hope that one day we'll open it again and be able to win that rainbow jersey."
Ganna only wanted time checks from Evenepoel
According to national team coach Marco Villa on Rai, Ganna had only asked for Evenepoel's time updates while on the road, and din't look over his shoulder at the likes of Seixas or fellow specialist Stefan Kung.
"We were surprised by the 22-second delay he accumulated at the first intermediate point: Ganna made some good turns in the first section, but Evenepoel did better.
"Then in the following sectors, Pippo held back, losing little, we didn't let Seixas and Küng catch us, we ran our own race. The benchmarks? Pippo only asked for Remco's times, not the others'. This week he's always talked about trying to win: now we simply have to congratulate Evenepoel."
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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