Story byElfyn Evans has finished second in the World Rally Championship for a fifth time []Matt Lloyd - BBC SportSun, December 7, 2025 at 8:02 AM UTC·6 min readFor each champion and every winner there are those who narrowly missed out. The athletes who were on the verge of achieving greatness only to have the rug pulled from beneath their feet at the final stage. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSome never get the chance at greatness again but for a few, those unfortunate, unlucky few, it appears that finishing second is to be their lot. Elfyn Evans is the latest to join those ranks. The quiet, softly spoken Welshman was leading the World Rally Championship after 13 rounds, each one four days of intensive racing across a range of testing terrain. But come the decisive final round in Saudi Arabia last week, normal service resumed. His narrow lead was whittled away and then left in the dust of Sebastien Ogier's tyres as the Frenchman took a record equalling ninth title and the Welshman was left to rue finishing second for an agonising fifth time. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThere is a long list of those who never quite got it over the line - BBC Sport looks at some of sports other great runners-up. Jimmy WhiteJimmy White is still playing at the age of 63, losing in qualifying for the UK Championship last month to a 14 year old [Mike Cooper/Allsport]Nicknamed 'The Whirlwind' for his swift and thrilling attacking style of play, Jimmy White was a favourite with fans but became synonymous with the runner-up tag. He reached six World Snooker Championships finals without success, including five in a row between 1990 and 1994 only to lose to Stephen Hendry in four of them. In 1992, White stormed into a 14-8 lead before Hendry fought back with one of the great final displays, winning ten frames in a row to lift the trophy. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWhite later reflected: "I was 14–8 up. Then it went 14-10 and I was completely gone, I was done. Pockets were moving all over the place.