Wout Van Aert and Remco Evenepoel indicated each other as favourites for Friday's elite men’s time trial World Championships, hoping that one of them can win the rainbow jersey for Belgium.
Van Aert and Evenepoel fell out massively after the 2021 World Championships in Belgium when Evenepoel rode his own race, and Van Aert failed to tell his teammates he was on a bad day until it was far too late. Two years on, with both having won significantly, the two have a far better relationship and are happy to share the expectations.
“The two of us on the podium would be nice, as long as one of us is on the top step,” Evenepoel suggested when speaking to the Belgian media about Friday’s time trial.
“On Sunday, we saw a Flying Dutchman; hopefully, we will see a Flying Belgian on Friday.”
Evenepoel pointed at Van Aert to indicate who is in better form.
"When you look at how he was doing on Sunday, it is clear that he is in top form. So he's my favourite,” Evenepoel said.
“I’m not at the start to impress my Vuelta rivals. I just want to win all the important jerseys in cycling one day, and I’m still missing this one. It would be nice for someone weighing 63 kg to become world time trial champion.”
The 47.8km elite men’s course around Sterling is largely flat, with long straight sections on often exposed roads, with a rolling final 20km. However, as the other races have indicated, the cobbled climb to the finish at Sterling Castle is decisive.
“Remco is definitely one of the candidates, Ganna and Küng will certainly be good too. Stefan Küng was fifth on Sunday; that says enough. And I expect a few more,” Van Aert suggested, knowing that Evenepoel makes up for his lack of power thanks to his excellent aero position in the bike.
Rohan Dennis (Australia), Josh Tarling (Great Britain), Stefan Bissegger (Switzerland), Mikkel Bjerg (Denmark), Kasper Asgreen (Denmark), Rémi Cavagna (France) and Brandon McNulty (United States) are other medal contenders.
“I like the last kilometre, I like the arrival at the castle, and we don’t often finish on cobblestones. It’s only one of forty-eight kilometres, you’re not going to make up big time losses there, but it can be decisive.”
Evenepoel knows that pacing during the near hour-long effort will be important.
“I've only done one time trial that was longer, so I will have to start patiently because the final is difficult,” he said.
“In the first part, aerodynamics play a major role: there are a few corners and then long stretches with five to ten-minute efforts. I can make myself as small as possible there.
The most important part is after the turning point. It goes up and down a bit more, and it is more twisting on the bike. Then there is a little less 'aero' involved. I think it's a nice course. It should suit me better than last year.”
Van Aert would have liked more corners but not as many as he faced in Sunday's road race in central Glasgow, where the Mixed Relay Team Time Trial was also held on Tuesday.
“I can accelerate out of corners better than most, so a few more would have been nice, but it's a super nice course. It’s a real time trial course with long straights.
"Is it a course for me? Which course is not for me…?” Van Aert said, exuding confidence.
