All the impressive stats and records as Remco Evenepoel becomes road cycling world champion in Wollongong 2022

BySam Rooke

Updated 25/09/2022 at 10:56 GMT

Remco Evenepoel made history with his road cycling World Championship win in Sydney on Sunday morning. The 22-year-old Belgian became the youngest world champion in 29 years, and the fourth rider to add a world title to a Monument and Grand Tour win in the same season. Evenepoel, who won La Doyenne and La Vuelta this year, blitzed his rivals in the closing stages of Sunday's race.

Remco Evenepoel made history with his triumph at the UCI Road World Championships in Wollongong.

He became the fourth rider to add a world title to a Monument and Grand Tour win in the same season. Evenepoel, who won La Doyenne and La Vuelta this year, blitzed his rivals in the closing stages of Sunday's race.

At 22 years, 7 months and 27 days, Evenepoel also became the youngest world champion since Lance Armstrong. The disgraced American cyclist remains the youngest post-war winner of the race, having done so in 1993 at the age of 21 years 11 months, and 11 days.

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Belgian Karel Kaers retains the record of being the youngest ever winner. His victory in 1934 came at 20 years, and 46 days of age.

Evenepoel also joined an exclusive club by adding the world title to his junior world title won in 2018. Only Greg LeMond had previously done so.

• Remco Evenepoel becomes the youngest World Champion in 29 years
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It was also a victory for Belgian cycling. Before Evenepoel, only Eddy Merckx and Freddy Maertens had won both a Grand Tour and World championship.

Evenepoel's margin of victory - two minutes and 21 seconds - was the greatest since 1968, and is second only to Italian Vittorio Adorni.

It was Evenepoel's 37th career victory, including 15 in 2022 alone.

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It has been a magnificent year for Evenepoel, who has been beating records all season long. In the Vuelta, he broke Simon Yates' record for the climb up the slopes of Les Praeres.

He was the fourth youngest winner of the Vuelta, and the youngest since Angelino Soler in 1961. Winning his first Grand Tour just five years, five months, and nine days after his first official race, Evenepoel is considered to be the fastest cyclist in history to even finish in the top three of one of cycling's grand tours.

He also broke a 44-year wait for a Belgian Grand Tour champion.

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