The long-awaited duel between the two Belgian specialists in the discipline has fizzled out. Outgoing champion and starting last on a wet road, Evenepoel found himself on the ground after just three minutes of racing.
In a wet "S" bend, the rider of the Soudal-Quick Step formation lost control of his front wheel and slid into a ravine, losing several tens of seconds.
If he got up without visible injury, the "little cannibal" lost all hope of defending his title, finally failing in 4th position, more than a minute behind Van Aert.
"I heard that Remco had a problem. It was indeed slippery, you had to stay on the bike in the corners," Van Aert explained.
At the end of the 42 kilometers of a flat but technical course, the leader of the Jumbo-Visma team won by 49 seconds over Alec Segaert.
This is the third time that Van Aert, 28, has donned the tricolour jersey in the time trial after 2019 and 2020. A great performance ten days before the start of the Tour de France in which he will take part, unlike Evenepoel.
Remco Evenepoel during the Belgian Time Trial Championship, on June 22, 2023 in Herzele © GOYVAERTS / BELGA / AFP
"For the first time in a long time, I had a good feeling today. It feels really good. (Last week) at the Tour de Suisse, I didn't have that level yet. I lacked freshness," said the winner.
On the women's side, the title went to Lotte Kopecky for the fifth time.
© 2023 AFP