The 2024 UCI Highway World Championships finish with the elite males’s highway race on Sunday, September 29, the day after the elite ladies’s race, creating an exhilarating remaining weekend of rainbow jersey racing.
The 273.9 km Zurich highway race route is finely balanced. Mathieu van der Poel, Mads Pedersen and others are satisfied they will problem Tadej Pogačar, Remco Evenepoel and different Grand Tour riders and no less than battle for a medal. Pogačar is predicted to dominate however might fall right into a tactical lure from greater and stronger groups.
With riders competing in nationwide colors quite than their skilled groups, no less than formally; the World Championships are at all times a special race, with totally different strengths and staff sizes, and sometimes a special dynamic and consequence.
The elite males’s race route begins northwest of Zurich in Winterthur and covers a 56 km loop earlier than heading to Zurich.
The boys then cowl the 27km Zurich circuit seven instances, with the Zürichbergstrasse and Witikon climbs on every circuit to the east of Lake Zurich. Neither climb is lengthy however collectively will regularly shake out the peloton and create a complete of 4500 metres of altitude throughout the six hours of racing.
Every 56km lap contains 400 metres of climbing, with the brief however late Zollikon climb simply 4.8km from the end on the shores of Lake Zurich.
These are the ten riders Cyclingnews expects to battle for the rainbow jersey and podium locations, plus our collection of outsiders and darkish horses.
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Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia)
Tadej Pogačar might be a part of Eddy Merckx and Stephen Roche as the one male riders to finish the Grand Slam of Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and world title in the identical season.
Whereas many different riders raced within the Olympics and Vuelta a Espana, Pogačar was capable of relaxation up and put together for his end-of-season marketing campaign. His Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal victory indicated he’s unbeatable however his tactical mistake on the Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec offers his rivals no less than some hope.
Michael Matthews (Australia)
Matthews gained the GP de Québec for a 3rd time and is a contender for the rainbow jersey, 14 years after he gained the under-23 title in Geelong.
The Zurich course is arguably more durable than Québec however Matthews at all times rises to the large events and could have full help from the Australia staff. He should keep together with his shut pal Pogačar on the ultimate laps however is quicker in a dash.
Mathieu van der Poel (Netherlands)
The outgoing world champion has misplaced two kilograms to attempt to be aggressive on the 2 climbs of the Zurich circuit. It might make a distinction however doubts stay if he can survive an onslaught of assaults from Pogačar and Evenepoel.
Van der Poel confirmed his type at this week’s Tour de Luxembourg and on the European Championship however he doesn’t appear on the similar stage as within the spring when he dominated the Classics.
Mads Pedersen (Denmark)
Pedersen beat Van der Poel in a dash in Luxembourg to safe no less than a psychological benefit over his Basic rivals earlier than they journey to Zurich. Nonetheless, he faces the identical dilemma – how can they defeat Pogačar and even keep on his wheel on the climbs?
For certain Pedersen will begin the World Championships with ambition and perception however they won’t be sufficient.
Marc Hirschi (Switzerland)
Hirschi is on a roll after successful 5 consecutive one-day races in the previous few weeks. He appears ultimate for the Zurich course and can fly the flag for Switzerland however maybe additionally really feel the stress.
On an ideal day, Hirschi might, in concept, beat Pogačar however that might be an enormous upset. They’re nonetheless teammates at UAE Group Emirates however there will probably be little transversal staff loyalty, with a mixture of professional staff bonuses additional complicating their relationships and rivalry.
Hirschi will experience for Tudor in 2025 and so might take the rainbow jersey to Fabian Cancellara’s staff as they give the impression of being to safe a wild card invitation.
Remco Evenepoel (Belgium)
Within the absence of Wout Van Aert, Evenepoel is the staff chief for Belgium.
At his absolute best he has the pure confidence and talent to tackle Pogačar. Nonetheless, he was mentally and bodily drained after his double gold success on the Paris Olympic Video games and should not have gotten again to his greatest.
Evenepoel might get a lift by successful the time trial world title, which might additionally soften the blow of defeat within the highway race.
Biniam Girmay (Eritrea)
The 2025 World Championships will probably be held in Rwanda and an African world champion can be a perfect strategy to showcase the present power of African biking.
Girmay had an enormous and historic Tour de France by successful three levels and the inexperienced factors jersey. He seems to have recovered effectively and returned to type within the Canada races.
He could have no actual staff help however he’s wonderful at surviving exhausting races and ready for the dash. He additionally has the identical agent as Pogačar in Alex Carera and so there may very well be a pact of non-belligerence.
Michael Woods (Canada)
Woods endured a tough spring because of a nasty virus however recovered at house after which gained the Canadian nationwide title. He confirmed he has returned to his greatest on the Vuelta and may very well be an aggressive risk in Zurich.
37-year-old Woods went near successful the world title in Innsbruck in 2019 and is eager to make amends as his profession nears its finish in 2025.
Julian Alaphilippe (France)
‘Loulou’ is aware of tips on how to win the world title and is aware of what it means. He’s at a crossroads in his profession as he heads to Tudor in 2025 and has endured a number of lean seasons however can by no means be written off.
He was unable to reply to Pogačar in Canada however French nationwide coach Thomas Voeckler at all times is aware of tips on how to encourage him.
Tom Pidcock (Nice Britain)
The Yorkshireman crashed on the Tour of Britain and missed the Canada races however that meant he might spend an additional week at house and practice particularly for the top of season. He’s one among a number of choices within the Nice Britain staff, alongside Stevie Williams and the Yate twins.
Pidcock admitted in the summertime that he was ‘frazzled’ after speak about his future at Ineos Grenadiers however he now appears able to sacrifice his fats tyre profession for a shot on the Tour de France within the years to return.
A great world championships and late season would create a steady base on which to construct his future.
The outsiders
Maxim van Gils has been named as Belgium’s ‘shadow chief’ behind Evenepoel. He confirmed his type with fourth on the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal, he’s naturally aggressive and an ideal different if Evenepoel is marked out of competition. Look ahead to him to go in any harmful assault earlier than the true finale of the race.
Primož Roglič could have an identical position within the Slovenian staff, the place Pogačar is the clear chief. His possibilities depend upon his type after his Vuelta victory however he shouldn’t be forgotten.
Toms Skujiņš is an identical darkish horse and might experience for himself in Zurich, with the help of some Latvian teammates. He was sixth in Montreal and sometimes a greater climber than most Classics contenders.
Eire’s Ben Healy will at all times race aggressively even when not at his absolute best. Watch him attempt to open up the race early.
Alberto Bettiol opted out of the Italian nationwide staff, citing an absence of type. Italian nationwide coach Daniele Bennati was compelled to pick out a blended group of veterans and younger riders, with Marco Frigo, Diego Ulissi, and Andrea Bagioli the seemingly protected riders.
The US nationwide staff can also be stronger than its elements. Matteo Jorgenson, Neilson Powless, Quinn Simmons, Magnus Sheffield and Brandon McNulty might all carry out effectively and even perhaps safe a spot on the rostrum.
Pablo Castrillo stands out within the Spanish staff of climbers, whereas Richard Carapaz (Ecuador) additionally stands out on the record of outsiders and darkish horses.
