Cycling World Cup Flanders 2021 Ganna gold time trial bis, beaten van Aert and Evenepoel

From Imola to Bruges, from Italy at Fiandre, with a wonderful common denominator: Filippo Ganna is time trial world champion. Yes, again, with the Verbanese still finding a pot filled with gold at the end of the rainbow, back to back world champion like Michael Rogers, Fabian Cancellara, Tony Martin and Rohan Dennis. A race in progression, head and muscles to mock again Wout van Aert, on the other recurrence of the day. Still silver for the Belgian phenomenon, who is not enough for an overwhelming first part of the race. Hunted by the blue and stripped at the end, where he breaks up as Pippo traces his straight line of stunning beauty. Third and bronze to a sulky Remco Evenepoel, long in the head before admiring the first two practicing another sport.

The top 10

Seventy meters in altitude in 43 kilometers and broken and long straight stretches scattered along the route: yes, it is a time trial for specialists that goes from the sea of ​​Knokke-Heist to the finish in Bruges. The Panamanian Jurado Lopez kicks off the dances, but Italy’s eyes are immediately focused on the Italian specialty champion: Matteo Sobrero. The blue could be the first reference point of the race, but the leg is not that of the best days. Better than him they do Max Walscheid and the surprising British Daniel Bigham. The first significant time of the German is (49’41”30), while Brandon McNulty it flounders meter after meter.

The meat on the fire becomes succulent, because at the center of the startlist there are three names to follow: Stefan Bissegger, Remco Evenepoel ed Edoardo Affini. The level rises and the three do better than Walscheid in the first split time. This is where the performance of the young Belgian begins, who makes a void in the central segment of the race. No one among those engaged in this moment can stand up to comparison. Bad, cynical, focused. Always on the spot, even when the bottle falls off his bicycle and almost ends up under the wheels. The public likes and cheers him with enthusiasm. Remco closes in 48’31”17, and sits down with a smile on the leader’s corner. All the other big players are leaving, but it is a test that already tastes like a medal.

Among the folds of the race, the good tests of Ethan Hayter and above all Tony Martin should be emphasized. The old German lion, already four times champion in this race, disputes the penultimate race of his career with the same determination and snatches a sixth place in the final with applause. Hat off. Meanwhile the rumba begins. Tadej Pogacar, Remi Cavagna, Kasper Asgreen. Then Stefan Küng, Wout van Aert e Filippo Ganna. The cream of this race launches itself in the pursuit of Evenepoel time. And if the king of the Tour immediately rises from the dispute and Cavagna wobbles, the others all do better than Remco. Two in particular: van Aert, 28 seconds faster than his teammate, and Ganna, six seconds behind the new leader in the first intermediate.

The multiple winners of the world time trial

In the heart of the race, the battle for medals is split in two. Asgreen and Küng make the race on the time of Evenepoel, launching the challenge for the bronze. Van Aert and Ganna, on the other hand, confirm themselves from another planet: the Belgian destroys Remco’s time trial on the second detection, but Pippo is on the comeback and passes less than a second behind his rival. Meanwhile, Küng melts and Asgreen loses the duel with Evenepoel “in the sprint”, who is now sure of the medal. The last few kilometers turn into a head to head for gold of rare beauty. The home fans cheerfully invite Ganna to slow down, but he obviously does not make a turn. Van Aert arrives in the jubilation in Bruges, takes the lead. But he doesn’t even have time to catch his breath. The Ganna train arrives, which at sidereal speeds overturns everything and everyone. Gold in Belgium, in front of two hosts. TO 54.37 km / h on average, no one had ever gone so fast in a world time trial. What else?