Evenepoel claims Olympic gold in men’s time trial at Paris Games
PARIS: Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel added an Olympic gold medal to his impressive list of accolades by winning the men’s individual time trial at the Paris Games on Saturday. The 24-year-old cyclist, who recently finished third overall in the Tour de France, delivered a stellar performance, clocking in at 36 minutes 12.16 seconds over the 32.4km course, despite the challenging conditions of driving rain.
Evenepoel’s victory was decisive, with a 14.92-second lead over Italian Filippo Ganna, who took silver. Another Belgian, Wout van Aert, secured the bronze medal, underscoring Belgium’s dominance in the event.
“This means a lot. The Olympics are every four years, so winning this time, I think at least I ticked that one off,” Evenepoel remarked to reporters. “It is amazing to beat those two legends of cycling.”
Britain’s Josh Tarling faced a setback with an early puncture, ultimately finishing fourth, just 2.16 seconds shy of a podium spot. Evenepoel’s start was explosive, and he maintained the fastest times at the first two checkpoints, showcasing his confidence and skill on the wet roads of Paris.
With this Olympic gold, Evenepoel continues his meteoric rise in the world of cycling and is now one of the top contenders to watch in next weekend’s road race.
