He sped around today’s 24-km race course near Munich like a high-speed Swiss train, arriving at the finish just on time to win the continental championships.

“I’m so happy that it finally actually worked out for me,” Stefan says. “I had a lot of bad luck this year with two crashes at the Tour, and a lot of sickness at the beginning of the year. This motivates me for the rest of the season now.”

For the next year, Stefan Bissegger will wear the prized white-and-blue-striped skin suit, which is decked with gold European stars. It is a just reward. Stefan is one of the most diligent racers in the peloton. His dedication to time-trialling is second to none. He has spent hours honing his position in the wind tunnel. His Cannondale SuperSlice is sharpened to cut through wind. Vittoria tyres soar over the pavement. Vision wheels are as aero as wheels get. And Stefan has the power to keep pedalling over 53 kilometres per hour. That is the product of years of specific training. He measured his championship effort today perfectly.

After the sharp climb out of the Fürstenfeld monastery just west of Munich, he held his speed through the rolling Bavarian countryside, holding his upper body still while his legs turned over a huge gear at maximum speed. In the end, Stefan won the European time-trial championships by a half a second.

“They call me a Swiss watch, because we are always on time, and timing is everything in a TT,” Stefan says.

You heard it from the fastest cyclist in Europe. He’s about to get an equally fast—and stylish—TT suit.

Look forward to seeing Rapha 's design when Stefan next rolls down a start ramp.