The Belgian cycling star Remco Evenepoel has achieved the historical time trial triple and also secured the European championship title after Olympic and World Cup gold.
The future captain of the German team Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe prevailed in the French Étoile-sur-Rhone after 24 km in 28:26 minutes with a 43-second lead over the two-time world champion Filippo Ganna (Italy).
“It was a very tricky time trial. In the corners it was difficult to control the wheel”said Evenepoel, “But overall I managed it quite well.” Bronze went on the Danes of Niklas Larsen (+1: 08 minutes). Max Walscheid (Neuwied) became twelfth (+2: 02), Miguel Heidemann (Trier) came in 21 (+3: 27).
Even successful in Rwanda and Paris
Just three days after his bronze medal in the brutally heavy street race of the World Cup in Rwanda, where he had previously won the individual time trial after a demonstration of power, Evenepoel showed no signs of tiredness and literally flew over the flat route to the final piece. Already at the half of the race he overtook the Swiss Stefan Küng, who had started one minute before him, who won the competition at the EM 2020 and 2021.
Even Evenepoel underlined its status as the best time driver of his generation. In Rwanda he had become world champion for the third time in a row, but in an almost twice as long and hilly fight against the clock. In 2024 Evenepoel had won Olympic gold in Paris. He had already secured the European Championship title in 2019 as a 19-year-old, now he was the three successes as the first driver in a row.
On Sunday, Evenepoel has the opportunity to revenge for the World Cup street race, in which he had become second behind the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar on Sunday. In addition to Evenepoel and Pogacar, the two -time tour winner Jonas Vingegaard is also at the start.
Marlen Reusser wins the women
The Swiss world champion Marlen Reusser had previously secured the European Championship title for women on Wednesday. The 34-year-old prevailed after 24 km in 33:06 minutes with a 49 second lead over the Norwegian Mie Björndal Ottestad and won the star banner jersey for the fourth time. The best German was Lisa Klein, rail Olympic champion of Tokyo, in 16th place with 2:38 minutes behind.