Nothing was easy, but Filippo Ganna held on to his tunic. The Italian won the time trial of the cycling world championships on Sunday 19 September, winning by a short margin in front of the Belgian Wout van Aert, behind 5s 37. He added to his list a second Rainbow jersey of the specialty, after having already won in this event in 2020. He also took third place in 2019.
On the Belgian road leading from Knokke-Heist to Bruges (43.3 kilometers), the Italian made his legs speak, but also his experience. Starting last on this course without major difficulty which perfectly suited his qualities, the Italian was not the fastest in the first few hundred meters, and was even behind at all the intermediaries. But he was able to gauge his main competitors to finish like a cannonball, averaging over 54 km / h over almost forty-eight minutes of effort!
“I was able to prepare for these world championships, it’s exceptional to be able to defend this jersey, Filippo Ganna reacted at the finish, at the microphone of the International Cycling Union. I already hope to be in the best conditions next year to win a third time. “
At 25, the rider of the Ineos team continues to establish himself as the best rider on the planet, after having also won the two time trials of the last Tour of Italy. And this despite the “failed” Olympics, completed in a disappointing fifth place. As a passing of the baton, this Belgian victory comes on the day of the last individual race of the German Tony Martin (6e), quadruple world time trial champion and figure in the discipline for ten years.
Belgian hopes showered
On the other hand, it is a new frustration for Wout van Aert. For some time now, the Belgian seems to be used to silver medals. Already beaten by Ganna in 2020, he also finished that year on the second step of the podium at the World Roads. Rebelote this year during the online race of the Olympic Games, on Tirreno-Adriatico and on the Flèche brabançonne. A beautiful collection of places of honor for the 19e of the last Tour de France.
“The dream of all Belgians is to have Remco and me in the first two places. It’s possible, we are ready ”, Wout van Aert, however, warned this week, in an interview with RTBF on the sidelines of the race. And if he managed to dominate his rival Remco Evenepoel (3e, 43 s 34 behind the winner), he did not contain the power of Filippo Ganna to offer Belgium a first title. He will try his luck again next Sunday in the road race, won last year by Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe.
“Winning at home would have been exceptional for [Van Aert et Evenepoel], but I really wanted to win. I thank them, they pushed me to my limits. It is also thanks to them that I obtained this result ”, admitted the Italian a few minutes after his victory, not unhappy at having resisted the popular momentum carrying his two opponents.
On the French side, there have been no miracles on Belgian roads. Benjamin Thomas failed at the 27e place while Rémi Cavagna (14e) was closer to the score, but failed to play with the best this Sunday. As on the Tour de France, we will have to wait another year to hope to see a French triumph in the discipline. The last French winner, and moreover the only one for this event born in 1994, remains Laurent Jalabert, in 1997.