Belgian cycling star Remco Evenepoel claimed his fourth consecutive world championship title in the individual time trial on Sunday, dominating the field at the UCI Road World Championships in Montreal, Canada. The 26-year-old crossed the line well clear of his rivals, cementing his status as the greatest time trialist of his generation.

Italian powerhouse Filippo Ganna, widely regarded as Evenepoel's most dangerous challenger heading into the race, finished second — the same position he occupied in 2023 and 2024 — coming in 57 seconds behind the Belgian. Despite showing at the first intermediate checkpoint that he lacked the legs to mount a serious threat, Ganna fought hard throughout to secure his third world silver medal in the discipline. The bronze went to young Frenchman Paul Seixas, finishing 1 minute and 13 seconds back, though Swedish rider Jakob Söderqvist had been on course for a podium place before crashing out. Dutch rider Daan Hoole, the sole Netherlands representative in the event, recovered from a difficult start to finish ninth, 2 minutes and 2 seconds off the pace.

With this victory, Evenepoel becomes the first rider in history to win four consecutive world titles in the time trial, surpassing the record of three straight titles he had shared with Germany's Tony Martin, who took gold from 2011 to 2013. In terms of total world championship wins in the discipline, Evenepoel now stands level with both Martin and Swiss great Fabian Cancellara, each of whom also claimed four career titles.

Why this matters: the time trial — a solo race against the clock — is considered one of cycling's most demanding tests of individual strength and pacing. Evenepoel's reign at the top of this event, stretching back to 2022, has been remarkably consistent, and his dominance in Montreal suggests he remains without a credible peer in the discipline. The result will further fuel debate about where he ranks among the all-time greats of professional cycling, with the 26-year-old's career still far from its peak.