Cancellara sees his Worlds record falling to Evenepoel: ‘It is not a question of if, but when’

Fabian Cancellara believes it is only a matter of time before Remco Evenepoel surpasses him and Tony Martin as the most successful men's time triallist in World Championship history.

Evenepoel can draw level with both riders in Montréal on Sunday. Victory would give the Belgian a fourth consecutive world time trial title, making him the first man ever to achieve that feat.

Cancellara won four world titles against the clock in 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010, alongside two Olympic gold medals. Yet the Swiss has little doubt that his tally will eventually be overtaken.

"It is not a question of whether, but rather when Remco will overtake us," Cancellara told Het Nieuwsblad. "Just as it will only be a matter of time before Mathieu van der Poel becomes the first rider ever to win the Tour of Flanders four times."

Now 45 and serving as chief executive of Tudor Pro Cycling, Cancellara is relaxed about the prospect of losing one of the defining records of his career.

"Does the fact that other riders are taking my records make me unhappy? No, not at all. Records are there to be broken. That is the essence of sport. I am not going to cry about it. Life goes on. If I had wanted to remain the record holder, I would have had to ride faster a few more times."

For Cancellara, the numbers tell their own story. He won his first world title at 25. Evenepoel is 26 and already has three, with the chance to claim a fourth on Sunday.

"So he still has plenty of time to overtake us. And above all, he wants it. For him it is simple: after three comes four, after four comes five. That is also what makes Remco unique, that absolute desire to make history and break records."

Cancellara believes changes within the sport have also created conditions that make it easier for riders such as Evenepoel to combine success in time trials with ambitions elsewhere.

"Personally, after my fourth world title in 2010, I started focusing more on the Classics. I no longer needed time trials for that, which made combining the two much more difficult for me than it is for Remco.

"In my era, you were either a time triallist or a one day racer. Today it is much easier to combine them, especially for a Grand Tour rider like Remco, who continues to need time trials."

He also sees a fundamental difference between Evenepoel and the powerful specialists who dominated the discipline during his own career.

"I come from a time when power was the deciding factor in time trials. Filippo Ganna is a similar type. He is taller than Evenepoel and produces more power. But he also catches more wind and has more kilos to move," Cancellara said.

"As CEO of a team, I see from the front row how cycling, and time trials in particular, have changed. Training, nutrition, scientific insights. It has all helped create the conditions in which Remco can excel."

Ganna is likely to be one of Evenepoel's main rivals in Montréal. The 39.2 kilometre course features 220 metres of climbing and is considerably flatter than the route used at last year's World Championships in Kigali.

The Italian has come close before. He finished six seconds behind Evenepoel in Zürich and twelve seconds behind him in Stirling.

Cancellara will also have a personal interest in the race through Tudor rider Stefan Küng. The Swiss rider arrives in form after winning the Vuelta time trial in Jerez last week at an average speed of 54.4 kilometres per hour. A two time European champion, Küng also finished second at the 2022 World Championships.

"Is Evenepoel unbeatable on Sunday? No, because everyone can be beaten. But it will not be easy," Cancellara said.

"You should never start a time trial thinking you are going to finish second. That is what I try to instil in Stefan as well. Always believe in your own chances. Never give up.

"And above all, try not to think about the fact that Remco is on the start line. Get the best out of yourself and focus on your own performance. If someone turns out to be superior aerodynamically and in terms of wattage, that is something you cannot control."

Asked how the best version of Cancellara might have fared against the best version of Evenepoel, the Swiss preferred not to enter the debate.

"Those are questions to which you can never know the answer. Let's just say that I was the best of my generation and that Remco is the best of his."