Chrono des Nations 2026: Evenepoel leads the favourites in the French time trial

Chrono des Nations 2026: the big day for the specialists On Sunday 18 October 2026, France hosts the Chrono des Nations, a procontinental event dedicated to time trial specialists. A day that traditionally closes the time trial season and pits some of the best interpreters of the discipline against each other. The protagonists expected at the start The verified startlist includes 24 riders, with a very high-profile presence. The name that stands out above all is Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe), reigning world champion in the individual time trial. He will be joined in the same team by Mattia Cattaneo, a solid rouleur and excellent time triallist. Among the most accredited rivals are Stefan Küng (Tudor Pro Cycling Team), a benchmark in time trials for years, and the young Alec Segaert (Bahrain - Victorious), rapidly improving. UAE Team Emirates - XRG fields Jay Vine, Mikkel Bjerg and Luca Giaimi, while Groupama - FDJ United relies on Rémi Cavagna and Maxime Decomble. The field is completed by interesting names such as Miguel Heidemann (REMBE | rad-net), Eric Antonio Fagúndez (Burgos Burpellet BH), Martijn Rasenberg (Unibet Rose Rockets) and Andrin Züger (Run & Race - Solarpur). The favourites' season Remco Evenepoel's 2026 speaks for itself: the Belgian claimed the world title in the individual time trial at the Road World Championships, beating all rivals. At the same event he also won the time trial stage race format. Completing the picture are a fourth place at Il Lombardia and a fifth at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal. Evenepoel won the world time trial title and also won both stages into which the world championship event was split — source: rider results database Stefan Küng finished fifth at the European Time Trial Championships and seventh at the Worlds in the same discipline, confirming a remarkably consistent level of performance. His season also includes a notable placing in a Vuelta a España stage. Küng achieved a notable placing in stage 18 of the 2026 Vuelta Ciclista a España — source: rider results database Alec Segaert shone at the 2026 Giro d'Italia, where he took a first place in stage 12 and a sixth in stage 6. His record also includes a sixteenth place at Paris-Roubaix and a twenty-ninth at Dwars door Vlaanderen. Segaert achieved a notable placing in stage 12 of the 2026 Giro d'Italia — source: rider results database Maxime Decomble took a prestigious third place at the European Time Trial Championships, a result that projects him among the top contenders. His year also includes placings in stages of stage races such as the Tour de Romandie and Okolo Slovenska. Mattia Cattaneo finished sixteenth at the European Time Trial Championships and fourth in the mixed team time trial at the Worlds. His record also includes a sixth place in a stage of the 2026 Tour de France. Among the outsiders, Rémi Cavagna took a second place in a stage of the TPC en Nouvelle-Aquitaine and a third in a stage of the 2026 Giro d'Italia. Miguel Heidemann was twenty-second at the European Time Trial Championships and took a first place in a stage of the Sauerlandrundfahrt. Eric Antonio Fagúndez won the Giro di Campania and placed eighth in a stage of the Tour of Magnificent Qinghai. The favourites for victory In light of the documented results, Remco Evenepoel is the number one favourite: the world time trial title he won in 2026 places him a cut above all other entrants. His ability to manage long, steady efforts makes him the man to beat. Stefan Küng is the most credible antagonist: his double top-10 (Europeans and Worlds) in the discipline makes him a solid podium candidate. Behind him, Alec Segaert is the young revelation to watch, strong from his Giro d'Italia placings. Maxime Decomble, with the European time trial bronze, is the luxury outsider, while Mattia Cattaneo can play the role of second card for Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe. The race promises to be a duel between Evenepoel and Küng, with Segaert and Decomble ready to insert themselves. On a pure time trial course, effort management will be decisive: whoever paces best in the first part will have an advantage in the finale.