Remco Evenepoel Aims for Third Straight Time Trial Title in Kigali

Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel is set to compete for his third consecutive title in the men’s time trial at the Cycling Road World Championships, which will take place in Kigali, Rwanda, starting March 10, 2024. After winning the time trial in both Scotland and Zurich during the last two championships, Evenepoel aims to join the ranks of cycling legends such as Michael Rogers, who won three titles from 2003 to 2005, and draw closer to the record four titles held by Fabio Cancellara of Switzerland and Tony Martin from Germany.

Evenepoel expressed his ambition, stating, “That’s a nice challenge. I want to add my name to that list and go even further.” Competing in Africa for the first time adds a special significance to the event for the 25-year-old cyclist. He emphasized, “It would be great to achieve a historic result here – that would be special.”

Course Conditions and Preparation

On March 8, Evenepoel completed his first training ride on the championship course and shared his impressions. “It’s a very fast course, and you’re cycling at high altitude. The air is thinner, so the speed is higher.” He noted the absence of steep climbs, which he believes will work to his advantage. “There are no 10 percent climbs. You can maintain your position, and that gives me an advantage. Downhill, it’s also more or less straight,” he explained.

Despite the overall favorable conditions, the course does present challenges, particularly with a cobbled climb near the finish line. Evenepoel described it as “tough at the end, although it’s not the most difficult climb. It’s steep at the beginning, but then it levels off a bit.”

Evenepoel will face stiff competition from Tadej Pogacar, the reigning road race world champion and four-time Tour de France winner, who aims to achieve the rare feat of winning both the time trial and road race titles. “Which version of Tadej Pogacar will I see on Sunday? Hopefully, it’s as good as possible, so I have to show the best version of myself to win,” Evenepoel remarked. He acknowledged that the course will reveal who the strongest competitor is on the day of the event.

Training Regimen and Strategy

In preparation for this championship, Evenepoel trained extensively in Spain but noted that he did not spend significant time on his time trial bike, citing safety concerns with traffic. “I’m not the rider who does a lot of training on the time trial bike. That’s a bit too dangerous with traffic. I did one training session with blocks and that was OK,” he commented.

He feels confident about his overall preparation, having completed a long month of training camps and with five months of competitive racing behind him. “I’ve had a decent preparation,” he said, highlighting his readiness for the challenges that lie ahead.

As the championship approaches, Evenepoel’s determination and strategic approach underscore his commitment to not only defend his title but also to carve out a place for himself among cycling’s elite. The world will be watching as he takes on this monumental challenge in Kigali.