UCI Road World Championships LIVE – Van Wilder sets benchmark time as Pogačar and Evenepoel face off in Elite Men’s time trial

Vine’s approaching the finish, how quick will this be?

As things stand Pogačar is out of the medals, which are going to Evenepoel, Vine and Van Wilder.

Evenepoel is even bearing down on Pogačar, who started two and a half minutes before him. Could he even catch him on the road? What a moment that would be.

Evenepoel’s increased his lead yet more at the 3rd check, 1:24 over Vine, and 1:58 on Pogačar.

Pogačar’s losing more ground – he’s 34 seconds slower than Vine at the 3rd check, and 7 seconds slower than Van Wilder. This is the most human the Slovenian has looked in a long time.

So with everyone through the 2nd time check, Evenepoel is looking good for gold, Vine for silver, while only 1 second split Pogačar and Van Wilder for bronze.

Evenepoel’s through the second check..and he isn’t slowing down! He’s a huge 1:17 up on Vine, and 1:42 on Pogacar. This is shaping up to be an extraordinary ride.

At the finish, Del Toro is 2nd quickest, the first to come within 20 seconds of Van Wilder’s time. And he’s only a narrow second, too, just 4 seconds slower.

Pogacar’s at the 2nd time check – and he’s actually slower than Vine, by a whole 25 seconds. This isn’t shaping up to be his day.

Vine’s still quickest at the third check, by 27 seconds over Van Wilder.

At the finish, Arensman posts the fourth best time of the day so far.

Pogacar will be at the second time check soon. This is going to be interesting – can he post something to put Evenepoel under pressure, having been so far behind at the first check?

Remco Evenepoel, looking locked in.

By contrast, Jay Vine is speeding up. He’s the quickest at the 2nd check, by a whole 26 seconds. He’s in medal contention.

Del Toro is third fastest at the third check not looking quite as good as he did at the start of his ride.

Remco Evenepoel, who is storming this course far quicker than anyone else as things stand. Can he really keep this pace up for the whole course?

Meanwhile at the finish line, Leknessund posts the second-best time of the day, 21 seconds slower than Van Wilder.

This isn’t shaping up to be the two-horse race we were anticipating – Evenepoel is running away with it as things stand.

Wow! Evenepoel is fastest at the first time check – and by an enormous margin of 44 seconds.

Del Toro has slowed somewhat in the second section, falling to 16 seconds down on Van Wilder.

Jay Vine, incidentally, is third fastest, a second slower than Pog.

Pogacar’s through, and is 2nd best, one second slower than Del Toro.

Pogacar is approaching the first time check.

Tadej Pogacar out on the road.

They’ve both been beaten by Plapp, who has finished with the second best time.

Sobrero and García Pierna have recently finished, with the third and fourth best times respectively.

Leknessund has lost ground on Van Wilder. Having been 2 seconds quicker at the first check, he’s now 6 seconds slower.

Now Stefan Küng starts, hoping to add to the silver medal he won in 2022 and the bronze from 2020. This course doesn’t appear to play to his strengths, however.

Del Toro’s flying – he’s fastest at the first check by 9 seconds. It seems he can indeed time trial.

More big name are starting – first Jay Vine, now Bruno Armirail. Both are real medal contenders. Only three more riders to start.

So close! Munton has just finished, an agonising 2 seconds slower than Vermeersch, who remains the leader in the clubhouse.

The time is nearly here – Remco Evenepoel and Tadej Pogacar are both warming up at the start. They will be off in 7 and 10 minutes respectively, as the last two men to start.

Paul Seixas has slowed a little in the second phase of the race, slipping to 46 seconds by Van Wilder at the 2nd check.

Plapp’s second quickest at the 2nd check, but a distant 33 seconds off Van Wilder.

Last year’s U23 champion Iván Romeo is the latest to start, hoping to make the leap to being competitive at senior level.

New fastest time at the first check – and it’s from Andreas Leknessund, who puts 2 seconds into Van Wilder.

Van Wilder remains on course for a big time. He’s just gone through the second check the fastest, 42 seconds up on Leonard.

Another fascinating rider has just started – Isaac del Toro. The Mexican has been winning for fun on the road lately, and now turns his head to a time trial. Whether or not he can translate that form is one of the day’s most intriguing questions.

Artem Nych finishes with the second best time.

This is interesting – Paul Seixas has just reached the first time check with the second best time. It’s hard to know what to expect from such a talented but inexperienced teenager, but the early signs are that he’s going well.

Luke Plapp is third fastest at the first time check.

Michael Leonard is flying! Having been 29 seconds down on Vermeersch at the first check, he’s smashed his time at the second check by 45 seconds. We might soon have a new leader at the clubhouse…

Byron Munton has set the second fastest time at the second check, closing his deficit to Vermeersch from 32 seconds to 7 seconds.

Sobrero, Leonard and García Pierna have all gone well, but not as well as Van Wilder, at the first check, at 24, 29 and 46 seconds respectively.

Already Vermeersch’s time is coming under threat – and from his Belgian teammate Van Wilder. He’s just beaten his tie at the first check by 14 seconds.

A huge cheer at the start, where the second Rwanda cyclist, Moise Mugisha, begins his ride.

Vermeersch has abandoned his aero position as he rides up the cobbled climb. He’s rocking side to side at a low cadence.

Gervais has arrived home, with the second fastest time, 42 seconds down on Nsengiyumva. The Rwandan remains unmatched.

Luke Plapp’s the latest rider to start, and is one to watch. He was fifth in the mountain time trial at the Tour de France during the summer, and should suit this rolling, hilly course.

Some big names are starting to begin their rides. Raul Garcia Pierna has just followed Ilan van Wilder off the start ramps, and next up will be Matteo Sobrero.

Vermeersch is again the fastest at the second time check, this time 51 seconds faster than Nsengiyumva.

Gervais has lost ground at the second time check, where he’s 38 seconds slower than Nsengiyumva.

As expected, Florian Vermeersch has become the first man to beat Nsengiyumva’s time at the first check. He’s 45 seconds faster.

Nsengiyumva is labouring up the Côte de Kimihurura, a 1.3km climb averaging 5.9% near the end of the course, made extra difficult by the fact it’s on cobbled roads. He’s pushing up it in a big gear at a slow cadence.

Here’s Jiankun Liu out on the road

Canada’s Laurent Gervais is pushing Nsengiyumva’s time. He’s just ten seconds slower at the first check.

Scratch that – Jiankun Liu has just posted the second best time at the first check, 1:13 slower than Nsengiyumva and 32 seconds faster than Ngwata.

For now though, it’s the home rider Nsengiyumva who’s the fastest on the course. Ngwata is the only rider to post a time within two minutes of his at the first check.

Florian Vermeersch is the first European to start. You’d imagine the Belgian will be one of the early frontrunners.