Filippo Ganna won the world road cycling championships time trial in his home nation of Italy, supplanting 2018 and 2019 winner Rohan Dennis of Australia.
Ganna, a 24-year-old who took bronze last year, clocked 35 minutes, 54.10 seconds on a 20-mile course in Imola, beating Belgian Wout van Aert by 26.72 seconds.
He became the second-youngest man to win the world time trial after Australian Michael Rogers, according to ProCyclingStats,com.
Swiss Stefan Kung took bronze. Dennis was fifth.
The top American was Brandon McNulty in 29th place.
Ganna is a four-time world champion and world-record holder on the track in the individual pursuit, which is not an Olympic event.
Dennis, who beat Ganna by 1:55 last year, was bidding to tie the record of three straight time trial world titles shared by Jeannie Longo, Tony Martin and Rogers.
Worlds continue Saturday with the women’s road race airing on Olympic Channel and NBC Sports Gold for Cycling Pass subscribers at 6:30 a.m. ET. A full TV schedule is here.
OlympicTalk is on Apple News. Favorite us!
MORE: Chloe Dygert comments on crash over guard rail, deep leg laceration
Follow @nbcolympictalk