As it happened: Evenepoel beats Ganna and Tarling to win Elite Men's TT world title

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the elite men's individual time trial at the 2023 UCI Road World Championships in Sterling, to the north of Glasgow in Scotland.

As the Cyclingnews blimp takes height, the first riders are already racing on the course to the west of Sterling. 

Fortunately the weather is warm and sunny in Scotland today, with a slight breeze blowing from the south and so across the course.

The elite men's individual time trial will close out the races against the clock at the UCI Road World Championships in Glasgow, ahead of the final under-23 men's and elite women's road races on the weekend.

There will be 78 elite men taking on a 47.8km time trial course that includes 352 metres of elevation gain. Like all the individual time trials, the route ends with a challenging 750m climb at 6% to the finish line at Stirling Castle.

The favourites for the rainbow jersey include Belgium with Wout van Aert and Remco Evenepoel, Italy with Filippo Ganna, Slovenia's Tadej Pogačar, Switzerland fielding Stefan Küng and Stefan Bissegger plus Norway's defending champion Tobias Foss.

Also on the start list is two-time world champion Rohan Dennis (Australia), who will be competing in his final Worlds, while Geraint Thomas represents Great Britain.

Ahmad Badreddin Wais (Refugee Cycling Team) was the first rider off the starting ramp at 14:21:20 local time. 

Nils Politt, the German Champion, will start at 14:40:00. Canadian Champion Derek Gee begins his effort at 15:21:20. 

Lawson Craddock (United States) sets off at 15:30:40 while his teammate and US Champion is positioned later in the line-up at 15:46:40.

Canadian Champion Derek Gee begins his effort at 15:21:20. Lawson Craddock (United States) sets off at 15:30:40 while his teammate and US Champion Brandon McNulty is positioned later in the line-up at 15:46:40.

Danish Champion Kasper Asgreen at 15:36:00, Dennis at 15:37:20, Joshua Tarling (Great Britain) at 15:40:00, Van Aert at 15:41:20 and Bissegger at 15:42:40.

Pogacar will lead the last wave of contenders at 15:56:00, just ahead of Australian Champion Jay Vine at 15:57:20, Ganna at 15:58:40, Thomas at 16:00:00, Evenepoel at 16:01:20, and Küng at 16:02:40.

As the defending champion, Foss will be the last rider to start his time trial at 16:04:00.

To see the full start list, click below.

World Championships Men's Elite Time Trial 2023 start times and startlist

Ryan Mullen is the first "big name" to start. 

The Irishman from Bora-Hansgrohe is a six-time national champion and was fifth at the 2016 World Time Trial Championships.

Indeed Mullen is fastest after 12.5km. 

Mullen set 14:59, racing at over 50km/h. 

Filippo Ganna is determined to add a second rainbow jersey to his 2023 World Championships campaign.

The Italian won the individual pursuit world title on Sunday night and won a silver medal in the team pursuit but the time trial is his biggest goal of all. 

He won the rainbow jersey in 2020 and 2021 but wants a third after a disappointing ride in Australia last year. Click below to see what he said and details of his Pinarello Bolide TT bike.

Filippo Ganna chasing another rainbow jersey in Worlds time trial.

It's great to see so many athletes in action today, from so many different countries, especially the so-called 'minor' cycling nations. 

Ahmad Badreddin Wais (Refugee Cycling Team) was the first rider off. 

Others in action include Jacob Jones (Guam), Hasani Hennis (Anguilla), Fadhel al Khater (Qatar) and Vitalii Novakovskyi (Ukraine).

Canada's Derek Gee is about to start. He impressed at the Giro and on the track here in Scotland at worlds. 

Mullen reaches the second intermediate time check with 13km to go. He sets 41:39, still atr over 50km/h. 

There are 78 riders racing today, from 49 different countries.

South Africa's Ryan Gibbons is almost as fast as Ryan Mullen. He is only 15 seconds slower than the Irish rider at the second time check. 

We're seeing more and more WorldTour riders set-off now.  

The USA's Lawson Craddock is underway. 

Ryan Mullen sets 58:21 at the finish. He went deep to climb to the finish up to Sterling Castle.

Next off is Rohan Dennis of Australia. 

He will retire at the end of the season and so this is his last big dance in a major time trial.

Ryan Gibbons sets 58:26, just five seconds slower than Mullen. 

Joshua Tarling (Great Britain) is off soon. He is only 19 but a WorldTour pro with Ineos and expected to pull off a surprise today. 

He could finish top five and beat some big-name rivals.

Tarling was JUnior world champion in Wollongong in 2022.

He's considered a power rider just like Ganna. 

Tarling will have to ride fast because his minute-man will be chasing him. 

Wout van Aert (Belgium) is off next, 1:20 after the Briton.

Wout Van Aert and Remco Evenepoel indicated each other as favourites for Friday's elite men’s time trial World Championships, hoping that one of them can win the rainbow jersey for Belgium.

“The two of us on the podium would be nice, as long as one of us is on the top step,” Evenepoel suggested when speaking to the Belgian media about Friday’s time trial. 

“On Sunday, we saw a Flying Dutchman; hopefully, we will see a Flying Belgian on Friday.”

Incredible there has never been a Belgian elite men's TT world champion. 

With  Van Aert and Evenepoel it could happen today.

Click below to read what both said before the TT. 

Van Aert and Evenepoel hope for Belgian dominance in men's time trial at Worlds

Lennard Keman of Germany sets a new fastest time at the first intermediate point of 14:37. 

That's fast but will surely be beaten soon.

Brandon McNulty of the United States is off now. 

He is also a contender today. 

Jos van Emden (Netherlands) starts his ride, just a few hours after announcing he will retire at the end of the 2023 season.

Dennis is using his two-time world title experience in the early part of his ride.

He is staying low in his aero tuck and riding in the middle of the road.

Now Kasper Asgreen of Denmark is fastest after 12.7km in 14:22. 

We can see that TArling has a very aero position. However he has to combine that creating the power to ride at over 50km/h. 

Dennis also passes intermediate point 1 but he is 7 seconds slower than Asgreen.

Boom! Tarling is fastest at the time split. He sets 14:03, 18 seconds faster than Asgreen. 

Lets see what Wout Van Aert does now.

Meanwhile the final riders are about to start, including Tadej Pogacar and Filippo Ganna.

Van Aert is fast despite not having one of the most aero positions. 

Wow! 

Van Aert ia not that fast. He is only sixth at the 12.7km time check. He is 27 slower.

We will see lots of negative splits today but that is a big chunk of time to pull back. 

Ganna is off! 

He wants a third TT world title. 

The final four starters are:

Geraint Thomas (Great Britain), Remco Evenepoel (Belgium), Stefan Kung (Switzerland) and 2022 world champion Tobias Foss (Norway).

Thomas is building for the Vuelta a Espana, like Evenepoel. It'll be interesting to see what both do today.

Here is Remco! 

3-2-1 and rolls down the start ramp. 

Like more and more riders, her has his radio tucked down the front of his jersey to help create a small aero effect, while also being in a comfortable position.

Derek Gee is still fastest at time check 2 after 34.9km. 

Here comes Ganna to time check 1.  

He is faster than Tarling by 6 seconds. That puts Wout Van Aert at 34 seconds.   

Meanwhile Ben Healy of Ireland finishes in a time of 58:33. He's third fastest at the finish.

Evenepoel is fast too, so far. He is only 4.62 seconds slower than Ganna.   

Dennis sets 40:45 at the 2nd split. That makes his fastest at that point but everyone else is now out on the course.

Derek Gee finishes in a time of 58:17. New fastest time in the clubhouse. 

However the race for the world title is out on the road. 

Tarling sets 39:47 after 34.7km. Beat that Ganna!

Van Aert is on a bad day. He is 1:01 slower than Tarling! 

Craddock beats Gee to set the best time so far: 57:55. 

He will get a moment on the hot seat. 

Tarling is coming fast and is fastest at time check 3. 

55 seconds faster than Dennis. 

Nelson Oliveira sets 57:11, the new fastest time for the Portuguese rider.

Evenepoel seems a little nervous. He waves downwards with his hand, a sign to his team car perhaps.

The time check will soon tell us how good Evenepoel is going. 

Dennis needs a bike change on the cobbled climb to the finish.

That's tragic for the Australian. He sets 57:12 and is clearly not happy and waves away the TV camera. 

He comes Josh Tarling! 

The 19-year-old Briton sets 56:07  That's a super fast time and fastest so far. 

It's the time for Ganna and the rest to beat.

Wout Van Aert finishes but well off the pace. 

He sets 56:56. That's 49 seconds slower than Tarling. He is second fastest now but probably won't finish on the podium.

At time check 2, Ganna is fast, 13 seconds faster than Tarling. 

He has to control his final effort and have something left for the climb to the finish. 

McNulty beats Van Aert with a finish time of 56:46.  Well done sir. 

Ganna is flying and has just caught Pogacar. 

But so is Evenepoel! 

He was 12 seconds faster after 34.7km to go. This could be close.  

6km to race for Evenepoel.

Ganna sets 49:33 at time check 3, with 4.3km to race.

3km to go for Ganna. 

Mikkel Zberg gives his all to finish but is 7th faserst, 1:10 slower than Tarling.

Ganna is still 10.68 seconds down on Evenepoel at time check 3. 

The cobbled climb will be decisive but arguably doesn't suit Ganna. 

Evenepoel could soon become the TT world champion! 

Ganna finishes in a time of 55:31. 

Will that be fastest enough?  Perhaps not.  

Ganna beat Tarling by 35 seconds but Evenepoel is coming in fast. 

Remco Evenepoel is the new World Champion! 

He sets a time of 55:19 to beat Ganna by 12 seconds!  

Evenepoel caught and passed Thomas in the final kilometres.

Thomas sets 57:23.

Evenepoel finished with anger, fighting his way up the climb to the finish.

He was two seconds faster than Gana on the climb.

Last Sunday Evenepoel lost his road race world champion's jersey. Today he took the time trial rainbow jersey.

Evenepoel and Ganna were on another planet compared to the rest. 

Josh Tarling is the revelation of the day but was 48 seconds slower than Evenepoel. 

Stefan Kung and Tobias Foss are off the pace and finish out of the top ten. 

Evenepoel is the youngest ever elite men's TT world champion at just 23 and five months.

Tarling is also the only teenage to ever finish on the podium.  He could have dominated the Under 23 race but opted to race against his WorldTour rivals and was proven right. 

This is the moment Evenepoel finished his ride.

Here is Evenepoel in action. 

Look how aero he is.

Ganna matched Evenepoel in the final 13km. The Belgian gained his advantage in the  middle part of the race after a controlled start. 

Yet again, Evenepoel gets a kiss from his wife Oumi in the podium area. 

Evenepoel, Ganna and Tarling are chatting before the podium ceremony. 

Josh Tarling gets a huge cheers as he is awarded his bronze medal.

He's the rising star of time trialing. 

Ganna gets the silver medal but he is not that happy. 

Remco Evenepoel is far happier and smiles as he pulls on the rainbow jersey. 

It's perhaps a size too big but he'll take it.  He punches the air after pulling on the Giro. 

The Belgian national anthem rings out over Sterling and the Belgian flag flies highest as Evenepoel holds his heart and shows his national pride.

Wout Van Aert had no explanation for his poor time trial. 

He finished fifth, 1:37 slower than Evenepoel. 

"I felt strong in the TT and did a good pace all the time. I was kind of surprised to see how far I was from the winner," Van Aert said in the mixed zone.  

It's how it is.  The TT is the race of truth, if you have the legs, then you have a good result. Apparently today, there were guys with stronger legs."

Remco Evenepoel knew he had made history today.

"I think I'm the first Belgian to ever win the world title in the TT, so, it's amazing," he said. 

"It was one of my biggest goals this season to win today, and to do it on a tough course which is maybe not perfect for a guy of my weight. I had a super good day. I could hold it and I'm super happy."

Evenepoel controlled the early part of is ride but sensed he was on a good day. 

"To be honest, I could ride harder and faster than we planned. I could always riding 10 to 15 watts above my pacing plan. If you know after 30 minutes that you are still not on the limit and you still don't feel it in the legs, then you know that you're on one of those days," he explained.

"I knew from the second intermediate time check that I went faster than Filippo Ganna and a bit of my terrain was coming, with the ups and downs. 

"I have to say that this final climb was brutal and it gave an extra knife in the legs, it was super hard. I'm super proud and super happy."

Evenepoel's development is incredible. 

Josh Tarling struggled to take in what he had done. He was expected to do well but a bronze medal, a year after winning the Junior TT title in Australia, is impressive. 

"It's a bit crazy. I don't really know, it's just super cool to do it in the UK, you know," he said. 

"Australia was amazing but this feels like the next level."

Tarling also had to pace his ride with little data.

"It was tricky. My Garmin connected to the power meter on the roof of the car, so I didn't have much of a gauge. I just smash it and see what happens," he said.

"I think it was all about being patient and setting a good pace on the way out in a headwind, and obviously, on the way back, as it started to get lumpy and twisty, and it was more under, over then. 

"The last climb was horrible. I never did this last bit in the recon. I though, when you turned left, you were nearly there, but it was up in the clouds. But I think it went well."

Next step is the rainbow jersey in the years to come? 

"We will see. I will always try my best and I look forward to the next races of the season first."  

This was Tarling initial reaction.

Filippo Ganna was of fewer words. 

"I've done three races with the medals, and I don't know which riders can say the same in this race," he said, highlighting his success on the track and road.  

"I do three and a half to four minutes on the track and today was 54 minutes, so it's a little bit different."

Ganna had few regrets. 

"I think I followed the plan and in the end I'm happy. In the middle, I suffered a little bit and, just in the middle."  

"I'm a little bit tired. I've been in Glasgow for around two weeks for the track and this time trial. At the track I won two medals, today another one. I can be happy with the result. Obviously the goal is to better than silver but I am happy with my performance."

This is the podium of the elite men's time trial. 

Here's Evenepoel in his new rainbow jersey.

To read our full race report and see our growing photo gallery, click below.

World Championships: Remco Evenepoel beats Filippo Ganna to win time trial title

Thanks for joining our full time trial coverage. We'll be back on Sunday for full coverage of the elite women's road race in central Glasgow.