For the first time, Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel is an Olympic champion. The 24-year-old Belgian blazed through the home stretch to secure a slim victory in Saturday's men’s cycling individual time trial.
Evenepoel stormed to the finish in 36:12.16 to beat out Italy’s Filippo Ganna and fellow Belgian Wout van Aert, winning Belgium’s first gold medal of the Paris Olympics.
Evenepoel previously placed ninth in the time trial at the Tokyo Games and entered these Olympics as the reigning world time trial champion. Last year, he became the youngest man to win the world title at just 23. Now, he is an Olympic champion. For Evenepoel, the gold medal culminates an arduous journey back to full health after he underwent surgery in April for a broken collarbone, which he suffered in a crash at the Itzulia Basque Country race this year.
Italy’s Ganna crossed the line just 14.92 seconds behind Evenpoel, barely missing gold but securing Italy’s first medal of the Olympic Games with his silver. The 27-year-old is a nine-time world champion and won gold at the Tokyo Olympics in the track team pursuit. Now, he adds to his medal case.
The bronze for van Aert stands as his second Olympic medal – he previously earned a silver in the road race in Tokyo. The veteran appeared to be in position for gold with a time of 36:37.79 before Evenepoel’s sensational finish kept van Aert from winning his first gold medal.