"It will be a bit of a puzzle" - Remco Evenepoel annoyed by small recon window for world championships time trial
CyclingSaturday, 19 September 2026 at 11:45
The Montréal time trial World Championships take place this Sunday and Remco Evenepoel is the leading favourite to win the men's elite event. Yet, the Belgian was not happy with the short window to recon the route which might have left him with some unresolved details with the course.
“It’s annoying that we only get two hours, especially with such a big 40 kilometre loop,” Evenepoel shared in words with Sporza. “It will be a bit of a puzzle. Maybe we can cut a corner somewhere so we can see one part of the course a little more. Luckily it is the same for everyone. That is the advantage.”
The 39-kilometer route in Montréal is mostly flat, but within its first and final kilometers there are quite a lot of technical features. This makes it a treacherous challenge against the clock, where not only power and aerodynamics will matter.
Evenepoel admits that he would've liked to have seen a longer time trial: "Because it is so flat, they perhaps could have made it a little longer, it is still a long effort, especially because of the long straight roads. There will constantly be pressure on the pedals.”
A decisive climb?
This comes to a close with a 500-meter dash to the line at 5%, not key in the overall build of the time trial, but potentially important if the top riders reach the final kilometers only seconds from each other.
“It is a stupid example, but in the GP Montréal I was able to close 15 seconds there,” he added - although on that day, the group ahead had slowed down. But it doesn't remove the difficulty from the small climb.
“That shows you can still make something up if you have a little more left in the tank. It is a section where my weight gives me an advantage, but I hope it does not come down to that.”
Filippo Ganna as Evenepoel's main rival
The favourites for this time trial include Stefan Küng, Ethan Hayter, but perhaps above all: Filippo Ganna. The former two-time world champion has still been Evenepoel's biggest rival over the past few years, whilst the flat and at times technical course may favour the Italian.
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“Together with me, he is the top favourite," Evenepoel admits. "He is someone who can ride an incredibly strong final two or three kilometres because of his background in the pursuit. That is going to be dangerous. It will be closer than last year.”
“Once you have that jersey, you do not want to give it away anymore. It is motivation to keep going for it. If you skip the European Championships and Belgian Championships, there is only one jersey you can go for.”
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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Rafionain-Glas19-09-2026 - If she was smart she’d have other more fulfilling ways of making money. Are drug dealers smart too because they know how to use a short cut that ignores societal needs?Mistermaumau19-09-2026
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- Popularity with who???? I’d rather not have that clientele as my customers but then I don’t sell alcohol or bets or weapons or anything so “masculine”.Mistermaumau19-09-2026
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- I actually know nothing of any her sporting achievements and by now, don’t think I will ever become interested so if she stays out of cycling, all the better.Mistermaumau19-09-2026
- A surprising amount of information and text for a relatively unimportant race. Also surprised to read Gaul is credited with bringing glory when it was actually someone else before him who twice (consecutively) won it for them first allowing them to be the most successful by far by population (for all the hidden Mou still around).Mistermaumau19-09-2026
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- The third week of the tour is usually pivotal especially with all the mountains You have to believe that Jv would have lost time to remco on those stages - yes remco was lighter and climbing better than years past, but enough to pass Jonas? DoubtfulCrashjames18-09-2026
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