22/09/2024

Remco Evenepoel does it again! Olympic champion defends World Championship ITT title ahead of Filippo Ganna and Edoardo Affini

Remco Evenepoel has done the World and Olympic double and has been crowned the 2024 World Champion in the men's elite individual time trial after a powerful performance in Zürich. Completing the podium were the Italian duo Filippo Ganna and Edoardo Affini in second and third respectively.

After Grace Brown secured the Rainbow Jersey in the women's race, the first of the male competitors to set a competitive time included the likes of Canadian duo Pier-Andre Cote and Derek Gee, plus Poland's Filip Maciejuk.

"I just feel really, really lucky to end my career like this" - Grace Brown completes historic world and Olympic ITT double in final season as a pro

There was some drama in the starting blocks for 2023 champion Remco Evenepoel as he dropped his chain and faced a nervy battle to get everything back in working order before the beeps started and he needed to get underway. At the finish line meanwhile, Evenepoel's trade teammate Kasper Asgreen was the man in the hotseat. The next rider to go faster than Asgreen though, was the recently crowned European champion Edoardo Affini, setting a new fastest time of 53.56.

At the time check at the top of the climb, things looked incredibly exciting with Evenepoel leading nearest rival Filippo Ganna by just 9 seconds, although the likes of Jay Vine and Joshua Tarling were still very much in the fight also.

Sadly for Jay Vine though, by the time the Australian reached the finish line, his jersey had been ripped and covered in blood, ending his medal hopes. In terms of the fight for the Rainbow Jersey though, Evenepoel had upped his advantage to 19 seconds over Ganna heading into the finale. After the crash of Vine, the bronze medal place was open for Josh Tarling. The former European champion couldn't better the current European champion though, as Affini held on.

As the finish line approached, Ganna was hunting down Roglic and as he just about completed the catch of the recent Vuelta a Espana champion, the Italian set the fastest time, 53:08. Then, the clock began ticking back to Evenepoel. In a thrilling finale, the Belgian just about took the victory by 6 seconds at the line from Ganna.