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Ganna pips Belgians in world time trial

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Filippo Ganna en route to defending his world time trial title on the roads of Flanders.
Camera IconFilippo Ganna en route to defending his world time trial title on the roads of Flanders. Credit: AP

Filippo Ganna has broken Belgian hearts on the opening day of the road cycling world championships in Flanders by retaining his individual time trial title by the narrowest of margins from local favourite Wout van Aert.

The Italian, who was last off the ramp, lagged behind van Aert at both intermediate checks on Sunday but managed his effort better on the pancake-flat 43km course to end up clocking 47 minutes 47 seconds.

It meant he pipped van Aert by just 5.37 seconds with another Belgian, Remco Evenepoel, picking up the bronze medal 43.34 seconds off the pace.

"In a week, my condition improved very well after a short camp in altitude," Ganna said.

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"Today, when I woke up I had a good feeling in the legs and the head did the rest."

Evenepoel clocked the first time of reference but van Aert, who snatched silver in both the time trial and the road race at last year's world championships in Imola, Italy was already 28 seconds up at the first intermediate check.

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Ganna lagged six seconds behind van Aert after 13.8km with Swiss Stefan Kueng 17 seconds off the pace.

Van Aert increased his advantage over Evenepoel to 31 seconds at the second intermediate but Ganna was less than a second behind in a nail-biting finale.

The momentum had swung the Italian's way and Ganna punched the air in celebration after crossing the line.

Four-time world champion at the discipline, Tony Martin, of Germany, who had announced earlier that he would retire after the championships, finished sixth.

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