Lemco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) will have to wait until 2024 to win his first Individual Time Trial World Champion jersey, with Josh Tarling (Ineos Grenadiers) winning the Chrono de Nations race in the final race of the season. It was not possible to do so.

Evenepoel is still 23 years old, despite his experience at the top level, but is a 4-year-old senior at Tarling. Just like Evenepoel in 2019, the 19-year-old was incredible in the neo-pro season.

The Belgian was impressed by the young Brit and admitted that the pair were the only riders able to maintain an average speed on the 52km course and live up to the threat of Tarling's talent coming into the future time trial.

"It will keep me sharp and awake. If we want to beat Tarling and [Filippo] Gunna in the future, that will be the details," Evenepoel told Het Ratste Nyou. "These are men with real power. I will have to work hard this winter to make progress."

Tarling and Gunna were the duo who stood on the podium behind Evenepoel in the time trial of the UCI Road World Championships in Stirling, with the lightest of three coming to the top and taking another rainbow jersey to add to the road racing world title from the previous year.

The Brit was one of the youngest riders ever to finish on the podium at the Elite ITT World 1 and was the first since Evenepoel at the age of 19. In 2019 the Belgians got 1 better than Tarling and ended up in 3rd place rather than 2nd place as a teenager.

However, in Chrono des Nations, Tarling was fastest in each of the intermediate time checks, holding a powerful tempo up to the line of les Herbiers. He has added a senior race to his Junior Chronodenations Victory from 2022.

"If someone is a little better, I have to accept it. I tried hard, but I couldn't ride any faster today," he said. "Tarling has got off to a faster start and is keeping that lead. Do not make excuses. This season is over.

"I might have said at the second midpoint: Well, I'll let it go now, I won't fight anymore." I was still riding the character. Despite that headwind, I still had faith that I could return.

, Paul could not make up the deficit and finished the race in 13 seconds at Tarling, the 2023 victory tally remained at 13, and after a hat-trick of stage victories at the Vuelta a España, his overall win was 50.

However, the 3 victories in Spain were a silver lining for Belgium as he missed his big goal of defending the overall title at the Vuelta where he went to Sepp Kus (Jumbo Bisma), and the unfortunate crash ruined the possibility of fighting for victory at Il Lombardi Media.

"Since the Vuelta, I have had difficulty finding the real form again. Despite the good results, it was not an easy summer," Evenepoel said.

The Belgians are ready for a break after the 2023 67-day hard race and all the stress associated with the planned merger/acquisition with Jumbo-Visma, but this did not materialize. Not to mention the rumors of all the transfers that followed him until he was confirmed to be with Soudal-QuickStep after Lombardy.

In his quest for further success in 2024 and his 2nd Grand Tour victory, the Tour de France starting line-up also includes Tadeji Pogagnard of the GC Titans (UAE Team Emirates), Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo Visma) and new transfer Primo Logric. It is expected to exist alongside Bora Hansgrohe.