Remco Evenepoel makes history as reigning time trial champion in four events
Remco Evenepoel has set a new benchmark in cycling. With victory in the European Championships in France, the 25-year-old Belgian now holds all four major time trial titles at once: world, Olympic, European and national. No rider has ever managed that combination before.
The sequence began in 2023, when Evenepoel claimed the rainbow jersey at the World Championships in Glasgow. He successfully defended that title in 2024 in Zurich and again in 2025 in Kigali, making him a three-time reigning world champion. A year ago he added Olympic gold in Paris, while this season brought the Belgian title and, in Drôme-Ardèche, the European crown.
The result is an unprecedented collection of titles that makes Evenepoel the reigning champion on every level of the sport. Before Evenepoel, only two riders managed to hold three ITT titles at the same time.
In 2008, Switzerland’s Fabian Cancellara was Olympic champion (Beijing 2008), World champion (2007 in Stuttgart) and Swiss national champion (2008, and 9(!) other times between 2002 and 2016).
Six years later, Britain’s Bradley Wiggins equalled that triple: Olympic champion (London 2012), World champion (2014 in Ponferrada) and British national champion (2014).
Evenepoel has now surpassed them with a fourth title, raising the bar to a level no rider has ever reached. “This means a lot to me. To wear all the jerseys at once is something I’ll never forget,” Evenepoel said to Sporza after sealing the European title.
On his championships palmarès there is still one gold medal missing: the European road race title. With world, Olympic and national titles already secured, only the continental crown remains. “That would complete the circle,” Evenepoel admitted. “There will be more chances, but the sooner, the better.”
If he succeeds, Evenepoel would not only rule every time trial stage, but also complete the same unprecedented sweep on the road. He would be the first rider ever to achieve this feat, although it should be noted that the European Championships at Elite level have only been held since 2016.
Yet that task will be far from straightforward on Sunday in Drôme-Ardèche, where he must measure himself against a formidable line-up featuring Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard.
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