Preview Time Trial World Championship - Elite men 2023 | Hungry Van Aert and Evenepoel against the rest

After the road races... everyone can go home. At least, that's how it usually is at the World Championships in cycling. However, in 2023, we are dealing with the 'super' World Championships, and the choice was made to hold the time trial after the road races. For the preview by IDLProCycling.com, that doesn't matter, of course!

A glance at the honor roll of the World Championship against the clock reveals a certain generation of dominance recurring. Michael Rogers, Fabian Cancellara, Tony Martin, Rohan Dennis and Filippo Ganna all won the World Championship more than once in this century. The last two are also competing again in 2023.

Last year, Tobias Foss managed to pull off a dazzling surprise by winning the World Championship against the clock. The Norwegian couldn't replicate his success in his jersey this year, but they won't take his World Championship title in Australia away from him. Stefan Küng (for the second time) and Remco Evenepoel (third time) were also on the podium, and they, along with Wout van Aert (also twice on the podium), will be eager to seek revenge in this year's edition.

Practical information Time Trial World Championship men 2023

• Friday, August 11, Stirling
• Participants
  
• Classification: WC

In this article

• Most recent winners
• Course, weather and times
• Favorites
• TV information

Most recent winners Men's Time Trial World Championships

2022 Tobias Foss
2021 Filippo Ganna
2020 Filippo Ganna
2019 Rohan Dennis
2018 Rohan Dennis
2017 Tom Dumoulin
2016 Tony Martin
2015 Vasil Kiryienka
2014 Bradley Wiggins
2013 Tony Martin

Time Trial World Championship for men 2023: Course, weather and times

On Friday, the riders, one by one, will face a 47.8-kilometer challenge, starting and finishing in the Scottish city of Stirling, which is renowned for Stirling Castle. The finish is near the famous tourist attraction, but before crossing the finish line, the riders must tackle a treacherous hill in the final stretch.

We start at a stone's throw from this castle, from where we head west a long way on the A811. After 12.5 kilometers, the first checkpoint follows just after Nyadd. From there, we begin an extra loop compared to the races on Wednesday and Thursday, with passages in Thornhill and Kippen. Then we set couse back to Stirling, with the second checkpoint after 34.5 km of cycling on Leckle Road.

Through a few small hills and the third checkpoint (after 42.5 kilometers on Touch Road (six hundred meters at 3.6 percent)) we arrive back in Stirling, where the last eight hundred meters ascend at 5.7 percent. After nearly 47 kilometers, this is tough, made even more difficult by the cobbled road!

The cobbles toward Stirling.

Weather

The week started sunny and beautiful in Stirling, but from Thursday to Friday, this seems to be turning completely. Rain is expected all day on Friday in the Scottish town, adding an extra dimension to the time trial. The temperature will hover around 20 degrees Celsius.

Times
Start: 2:35 p.m.
Finish: 5:00 p.m. - not yet confirmed

Favorites World Time Trial Championship men 2023

What a wonderful field of participants, let's start with that! Grand Tour big guns Jonas Vingegaard and Primoz Roglic from Jumbo-Visma did not find room for the Time Trial World Championships in their preparation for the Vuelta, but almost all of the present-day big guns of time-trialing will be present in Stirling. The interesting thing about that is: based on this year's results, there is no single top favorite to point out.

They all managed to beat each other at times after all. The most notable performance might have been Remco Evenepoel in the opening time trial of the Giro d'Italia. The Belgian from Soudal Quick-Step managed to pull nearly 22 seconds ahead of Filippo Ganna in just twenty kilometers, the other absolute top favorite as winner of the World Championship in 2020 and 2021. Ganna made an impression on the track and is squarely focused on the time trial.

Wout van Aert represents another hope for Belgium. The powerhouse on pedals from Jumbo-Visma said after his second place in the road World Championship that he would be "even hungrier" for the time trial in Stirling, as he still very much wants a rainbow jersey in his closet. The Belgian, like Evenepoel, was beaten twice in the Tour of Switzerland by Stefan Küng. The Groupama-FDJ speed demon also earned a spot among the top favorites based on that time trial and his results in the time trials of recent years. He also finished a remarkably unremarkable fifth in the road race.

On a good day, Tadej Pogacar can also beat anyone, as he has proven many times in the past. He has ridden only one time trial this year, but with his results in previous races against the clock, the Slovenian has shown that he can keep everyone at bay. Just like defending champion Tobias Foss, who is in Glasgow again. Foss finished ninth last week in the Tour of Poland time trial, where other underdogs like Joao Almeida (Portugal), Geraint Thomas (Great Britain), Brandon MNcNulty (United States), and the winner Mattia Cattaneo (Italy) also competed.

Also watch out for the Aussies, who, as the tradition goes, are always very strong in races against the clock. Two-time world champion Rohan Dennis will be riding his last World Championship here and has proven all too often in the past that he can peak like no one else, something he also aspires to this World Championship. Fellow countryman Jay Vine has also taken a big step forward in time trials this season.

The Danes also have two strong contenders in Dauphiné time trial winner Mikkel Bjerg and Kasper Asgreen, who didn't perform so well in the road race, as do the French. They are bringing Rémi Cavagna and Bruno Armirail to the start. Another notable duo are last year's world champions, Joshua Tarling (juniors) and Soren Waerenskjold (Denmark). The former seems to have taken an even bigger step than the latter.

We conclude with some distant outsiders, some larger than others. European champion Stefan Bissegger, for example, who has not yet come into his own this year. But also types like Ben Healy (Ireland), Lennard Kämna (Germany), Lawson Craddock (United States), and the Dutch duo Daan Hoole/Jos van Emden.

Who are the favorites for the Men's Time Trial World Championships in 2023 according to IDLProCycling.com?

Top favorites: Remco Evenepoel (Belgium) and Filippo Ganna (Italy)
Outsiders:Wout van Aert (Belgium), Stefan Küng (Switzerland), Tadej Pogacar (Slovenia) and Rohan Dennis (Australia)
Long shots: Mattia Cattaneo (Italy), Stefan Bissegger (Switzerland), Tobias Foss (Norway), Geraint Thomas, Joshua Tarling (Great Britain), Mikkel Bjerg (Denmark), and Jay Vine (Australia)

TV Men's Time Trial World Championship 2023

The World Championship Time Trial can be followed on Friday from 2:35 p.m. via Sporza (VRT 1), the NOS (NPO 1), and Eurosport (both on the main channel and the online platforms). IDLProCycling.com will be in Stirling for all the latest updates.