The Zurich Worlds are entering their final phase with the start of online racing among professionals. The men’s hopefuls will launch hostilities this afternoon, before the elite women’s event on Saturday and that of the men on Sunday. Within the M23 platoon, one name is on everyone’s lips: that of Jan Christen.
Jan Christen emerges as one of the big favorites for this afternoon’s U23 men’s road race. The 20-year-old from Aargau has been riding for a year with the prestigious UAE-Emirates team, which has placed great hopes in him, to the point of signing him until 2028.
These Worlds at home are one of the goals of my season
Regularly aligned in World Tour events, the native of Leuggern could have claimed to compete in the elite race on Sunday, but the status of contender for the final victory of Marc Hirschi, his future-ex teammate, forced him to settle for the hopeful race.
The jokers Fabio
“I am clearly the leader of the team and I am lining up to go for the gold medal. If everything goes well and I have a little luck, it’s possible. These Worlds at home are one of the goals of my season“, says Jan Christen without any hesitation, who nevertheless does not forget that he will not be alone on board. “With my brother Fabio we also have an excellent runner. This is our joker“, he adds about his eldest (22 years old), member of the Q35.5 team, who competes in the 2nd division.
I hope the race opens very early, maybe 80-90 km from the finish
This 170 km race could therefore be a family affair, if we are to believe the leader of the Swiss U23 team, who emphasizes that he is used to longer events with greater elevation. “I hope the race opens very early, maybe 80-90 kilometers from the finish, because the city part can be very difficult“, remarks the 20-year-old Aargau resident.
No elite race
Patrick Müller, the sports director of Swiss Cycling, tells us indicated before the competition that a discussion had taken place with Jan Christen and that it had resulted in this choice to align him in M23. The nugget of UAE-Emirates having driven in the lead during the Amstel Gold Race (30th) and the Clasica San Sebastian (9th), the question arose whether he would not perform better in one more race of 270 km.
“For me, it was not an easy decision to give up on elite racing. I had decided to only compete in the elite road race, and I think that if I had had perfect preparation and ideal conditions, I could have competed for a medal. Finally we discussed this with the team and they decided that I should line up in U23“, regrets the ambitious Aargau resident.
Switzerland will roll for him
In any case, he will have a complete team at his service with his brother Fabio, Fabian Weiss, Arnaud Tendon and Ilian Bahroumi. For the young Fribourgeois, who we have also encountered on the sidelines of the M23 race, the question did not arise for a single moment. “The goal is clear: to help Jan Christen, because he really has a chance of winning“, he establishes.
The winner will most certainly be a World Tour rider
What generate some frustration for him? “I’m very competitive, but I’m also realistic. Given my year 2024, I know that I don’t have much chance of achieving a result. Mentally, I also know how to put my ego aside and tell myself that I will ride to help Jan win, since he is capable of doing so.“, admits the 19-year-old from Bull.
Opponents usually teammates
Jan Christen’s opponents will be athletes he knows well, since the other title contenders also race under the UAE-Emirates team jersey during the season. “The winner will most certainly be a World Tour rider. With the Portuguese Antonio Morgado, the Mexican Isaac Del Toro and therefore Jan Christen, there is a trio of favorites which emerges a little“, analyzes Daniel Atienza, consultant and co-commentator for RTS Sport.
Can Switzerland win a first world title in M23 since that of Marc Hirschi in 2018? Start of response from 12:45 p.m. live on RTSsport.ch, then on RTS 2 from 3:30 p.m.
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De Zurich, Bastien Trottet
