The city of Zurich played host to the 2024 UCI World Championships. On Sunday, September 22 the scene was set for the elite men’s individual time trial discipline and the riders would compete on a 46.1-kilometer round stretch from Zürich to Zürich under sunny skies and temperatures of approximately 22 degrees Celsius. 

The 2024 UCI World Championships organizers had chosen a beautiful route for the time trial discipline and riders would pass by both Lake Greifen and Lake Zurich. The relatively flat route, which only featured five small hills mid-race, appealed to the time trial experts on the start list and riders would be able to apply their full power potential on the fast route.

While Swiss riders Stefan Bissegger and Stefan Küng would both be competing on home turf in proud fashion, other favorites to claim medals in the 2024 World Time Trial Championships included newly crowned Vuelta a Espana Champion Primoz Roglic (Slovenia), Tour de France stage 7 time trial winner and GC third finisher Remco Evenepoel (Belgium), Italian strongman Filippo Ganna, American time trial experts Brandon McNulty and Magnus Sheffield, Denmark’s Mikkel Bjerg, and newly crowned European Time Trial Champion Edoardo Affini (Italy).

Grace Brown (Australia) had won the women’s world time trial championships earlier in the same day, ahead of Demi Vollering (Netherlands), and Chloe Dygert (USA). Remarkably, Brown announced her retirement shortly after claiming the World Champion title and will therefore be unable to fly the rainbow-colored jersey next season.

The men’s World Time Trial Championships event got off to a fast start when the first rider left the start ramp, which was situated inside the Zurich cycling track, before moving onto the open roads in and around Zurich.

Uganda’s Charles Kagimu was one of the first riders to enter the hot seat. Kagimu, who normally rides for Ride United, was not expected to be able to hold onto his lead as many time trial experts were yet to start their individual time trials.

Riders such as Kasper Asgreen (Denmark), Stefan Bissegger (Switzerland), Magnus Sheffield, and Victor Campenaerts (Belgium) started their time trials. 

Some riders had been seen using the Body Rocket real-time aerodynamic drag measuring system in the days leading up to the time trial event, thereby hoping to further optimize their positions on their time trial bikes to be able to achieve even greater speeds in today’s time trial event. 

While Pier-Andre Cote (Canada) replaced kagimu in the hot seat after reaching the finish line, Magnus Sheffield (USA) set a new fastest time at Intermediate Timing Point 1. Affini, however, proved even faster than Sheffield shortly thereafter. At this point in time, 2020 and 2021 World Time Trial Champion Filippo Ganna was still warming up, hoping to claim a top result for Italy in today’s event.

Swiss rider Stefan Küng left the start ramp. A great performance from Küng was required by the cheering spectators as fellow countryman Stefan Bissegger was proving unable to find the needed energy to claim a medal in today’s event. Bissegger was suffering on the hills mid-race.

Great Britain’s Joshua Tarling started his time trial. Many fans were having high hopes for the British talent in the time trial discipline.

Primoz Roglic started his time trial. The always friendly Slovenian rider was both smiling and focused. Filippo Ganna was next to leave the start ramp on a beautiful red Pinarello time trial bike made for the event. The Italian rider set a very fast pace from the very first meters.

Remco Evenepoel was seen on the start ramp on a stunning golden Specialized S-Works time trial bike. However, Evenepoel’s chain suddenly came off shortly before the start and mechanics worked hard to solve the mechanical issue before the start signal was given. The Belgian rider left the start ramp but had been unable to concentrate fully in the final minutes before his start.

Riders, included Primoz Roglic, were spotted wearing FlowBio hydration sensors to further optimize their performance in today’s World Championships. 

Denmark’s Kasper Asgreen set a new fastest time at the finish and entered the hot seat. Would other riders be able to better the time set by the Great Dane? 

Filippo Ganna was the new best rider at Intermediate Timing Point 1, followed by Joshua Tarding. Evenepoel, however, had gotten his time trial bike problems solved perfectly before the start and blast past the Intermediate Timing Point 1 in a new best time.

European Time Trial Champion Edoardo Affini set a new fastest time at the finish on his new Cervélo time trial bike, which had been designed especially for the Italian rider following his victory at the European Championships earlier this month. There would be no gold medal for Asgreen today. Asgreen will be riding for a new team from the 2025 season and beyond.

Australian Jay Vine set a new fastest time at Intermediate Timing Point 2. Italian Ganna, however, later clocked a better time at the same point. Evenepoel later delivered a time that was approximately ten seconds faster, so it appeared nothing had been decided yet in today’s time trial.

Jay Vine reached the finish in a new second-fastest time, but alas the Australian rider had crashed heavily in the final part of his time trial. The crash had cost Vine valuable time, and he had clearly suffered a hit to his head and damages to his left shoulder. Despite the misfortune, Vine had courageously pressed on to complete his time trial in admirable fashion.

Küng finished fifth. But other time trial experts had yet to reach the finish line where Affini had still set the fastest time at this point.

But the action wasn’t yet over, and Ganna blast across the finish line in a new fastest time, thereby replacing his fellow countryman Affini in the hotseat. 

Remco Evenepoel proved the fastest man on the day. The Belgian star crossed the finish line on his golden Cervélo bike in the fastest time and is the new UCI World Time Trial Champion. Filippo Ganna took silver for Italy, and Edoardo Affini completed the podium and claimed the bronze medal. Joshua Tarding finished fourth for Great Britain, Jay Vine fifth for Australia, and Kasper Asgreen sixth for Denmark. Stefan Küng was eighth for host nation Switzerland, while Primoz Roglic finished twelfth for Slovenia. Magnus Sheffield was thirteenth for USA.

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