Van Aert and Evenepoel go for time trial gold in Scotland

Five days after the road race World Championship in Glasgow, the men's elite World Championship time trial will take place this afternoon in Stirling. Remco Evenepoel and Wout van Aert are both aiming for gold, a potential first for Belgium.

The course, with start and finish at Stirling Castle, should suit the Belgians. The 47.8 km route is mostly flat and ends on a tough cobbled climb.

Evenepoel and Van Aert were both enthusiastic, saying it "is a very nice course" on Wednesday. "It's a long time trial, and that's to my advantage," Evenepoel said. "You have to both start with a lot of passion and distribute your power well."

Fierce competition

Evenepoel finished third in the past two years and second in 2019, while Van Aert took silver in 2020 and 2021. On Sunday, Van Aert won his second silver on the road, after an untouchable Mathieu van der Poel. Evenepoel finished 25th.

The Belgians will have fierce competition. Two-time time trial world champion Filippo Ganna impressed on Sunday with his track cycling gold medal. Slovenian all-rounder Tadej Pogacar, Swiss duo Stefan Küng and Stefan Bissegger, and Briton Geraint Thomas are other potential winners.

Van Aert starts at 16.41 Belgian time, Evenepoel at 17.01.

^{© BELGA PHOTO JASPER JACOBS}