Favorites and entrants for the 2024 World Championship road race

Presentation of the favorites for the 2024 World Championships – Elite Men of the road race, which will take place on September 29 in Switzerland, in Zurich on a particularly hilly circuit. Tadej Pogacar, Remco Evenepoel or Mathieu Van der Poel are the favorites.

At the start of these 2024 Road World Championships, Tadej Pogacar dreams of a rainbow but he will have to face many opponents, including the last two World Champions, Evenepoel and Van der Poel. An XXL startlist and a difficult coursewithout being insurmountable.

Obviously, Michael Matthews will not become world champion on the pedal but he could, in a scenario similar to GB Quebec, win a medal. In his career and even this year, “Bling” has always known how to climb, making him a much more complete rider than a classic sprinter. The Zurich hill is not that difficult in itself, especially since he has already tamed Mende, on the Tour de France. So, it was certainly several years ago, but he is still in good shape. His victory over the Canadians proves it. Therefore, if ever the best look at each other and we have a regrouping, Michael Matthews will become, in the last moments of the race, a favorite.

While he is coming off his first successful Grand Tour at 23, Mattias Skjelmose has always been good in one-day races. His Ardennes campaign in 2023 was excellent with a 9th place in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, more complicated than the World Championship itself. However, we don’t see him winning but rather in the top 10. For a medal; that seems complicated unless he is playing tricks, which has never been the case, the Dane being more of a follower than a daring rider when he is not the favorite.

After two difficult seasons, the Frenchman has been enjoying better days since the Giro 2024. He even seemed, at times, to find his guns again but he no longer has as many ammunition as before. 2nd in the Clasica San Sebastian behind Marc Hirschi, untouchable since this victory, this race is surely the best of his season. The Frenchman must therefore ride on this performance. Problem, as we saw on the GP of Montreal, he is not able to follow Pogacar. He will therefore have to be bold and opportunistic to hope to be triple world champion or aim for a medal. We don’t believe it but we didn’t believe in two Frenchmen on the podium of the games either. Proof that anything is possible in cycling… well except when Pogacar is at the start.

Back from Covid, Juan Ayuso took over the Canadian women. Far from being impressive, he had a role as Pogacar’s teammate, which he fulfilled to perfection. But did he give his all? It is possible that he hid his game a little in anticipation of the World Championships, where he will be one of his team’s assets. Spain will also be well-armed with the presence of Bilbao, Mas or Rodriguez in addition to Ayuso. A team game could therefore be in his favor. At 21, he has already shown that he is capable of winning one-day races – with two victories to his credit in this type of race – and is fast in the sprint in the event of a mass finish. A significant asset. We believe in a medal but we are nevertheless remaining measured because his form remains uncertain.

A specialist in one-day races but also in stage races, Matteo Jorgenson has a very broad range that allows him to shine almost everywhere. For the moment, his biggest victory remains Paris-Nice, a stage race, but he also won A Travers les Flandres, demonstrating all his racing knowledge. To obtain a medal or consider beating Pogacar/Remco, it will take a great deal of racing knowledge and a touch of madness. And that is not what the American lacks, just like his teammates McNulty and Sheffield. A Nation that should animate this world championship from afar with Matteo Jorgenson as its figurehead.

Second in the Montreal GP, behind Tadej Pogacar, Pello Bilbao made a very good showing in Canada and arrives in good shape for the 2024 World Championships. A godsend for Spain, which is giving itself an additional card with a rider capable of winning in a sprint and who also likes to take risks. He is typically the kind of rider that we can see winning in a group move from afar. And with the form he is in, a few days before the World Championships, there is reason to be optimistic for him. We really see him among the best.

Marc Hirschi is the SENSATION of this end of season. Since his victory at the beginning of August in the Clasica San Sebastian and until we write this article, the Swiss is untouchable. Five victories in a row in five one-day races, on difficult and hilly courses. Explosive, resistant and full of confidence, we even think he is capable of keeping up with the attacks of the best on this type of course. So, inevitably, we start to dream for him, at home, of a World Champion title. That would be magnificent. Imagine, moreover, that next year he will be at Tudor, in Pro Teams. How long would it be since a 2nd division team had a World Champion? The last one was Thor Hushovd at Cervelo in 2010. And again, if he had won in 2010, he wore his world champion jersey in WT at Garmin in 2011. To put it simply, it hasn’t happened for at least 30 years. So it would be a superb symbol.

Some people disagree with us and we understand that. But that is underestimating Mathieu Van der Poel’s abilities and overestimating the difficulty of the course. Capable of finishing on the podium of the Doyenne this year, a more difficult race, the Dutchman has also given himself the means to defend his title with a weight loss that will undoubtedly help him climb better. But the course and the hill outside Zurich are not that difficult either. 5.5% on average with passages at 8%, over 3 km, nothing insurmountable. We are within the limits of pure punchers. But Van der Poel is more than that. He is a man of the big events. A man who knows how to surpass himself when necessary. A man who masters his peaks of form to perfection. For his last race of the season, we have no doubt that he will be there. And he, with his resistance, his explosiveness and his power, is capable of following Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel. The question is therefore whether he will be able to cope with the repetition of the three-kilometer climb.

Second best rider of the season, Remco Evenepoel lost to Pogacar on the Tour de France. Never able to beat him on the pedals. However, on one-day races, it’s a different story. Like the Slovenian, the Belgian is a killer when he lines up on the classics. Capable of lightning attacks as well as a clever offensive like the Olympics, Evenepoel is a specialist in this type of race. On the other hand, on his ability to beat Pogacar here, we have to moderate. On all his victories, he has never had to get rid of the best rider in the world. We have never had the chance to have a confrontation between the two, and when we hoped that this would be the case, one of the two was either unable to start or abandoned after a fall. We therefore hope that this World Championship will be the right one. But we believe more in Pogacar for the title.

Tadej Pogacar no longer has one dream, the Rainbow jersey. To do this, he will have to continue his season that was as incredible as it was unthinkable to consider two years ago. The Slovenian has only lost twice this year, if we don’t count the stages. It’s MONUMENTAL. Again in Canada, he gave a lesson to his opponents who we feel intimidated and resigned with each attack. The World Cup is therefore the big event at the end of his season. The opportunity to conclude in the most beautiful way this year 2024, with a superb iridescent jersey. So, who could prevent him from achieving this dream? Maybe Remco, maybe Van der Poel? No matter, it will take the race of a lifetime to beat him. Tadej Pogacar is the huge favorite for the road race of the 2024 World Championships.

Winner of his 4th Vuelta, allowing him to join Roberto Heras in the legend of the Tour of Spain, Roglic is on cloud nine. But will he come down? Will he bend over backwards for his young compatriot? It’s likely. And in this case, it’s hard to imagine him on the podium if he plays the role of the UAE team in normal times. This is the obstacle that prevents us from putting him only as a “Bonus” in this list.

In conclusion, Tadej Pogacar is, by his year and his qualities, the favorite of the 2024 world championships in Zurich. However, this race is atypical and offers surprises every year and it is not always the favorite who wins. As proof, Valverde would have put 6 podiums before finally winning, for his 7th… at 38 years old. So nothing is won in advance, even for Pogi.

Other runners could have been included in this list. We are thinking of Joao Almeidaforced to abandon the Vuelta and who hopes to follow in the footsteps of Rui Costa. Santi Buitrago will be Colombia’s best chance. The Bahraini climbing puncher is a solid outsider, capable of attacking from afar. On the Australian side, in addition to Matthews, Ben O’Connor has obviously arguments and will be in good shape after his 2nd place in the Vuelta. He likes steep solo climbs and one-day races and is not afraid to be offensive even if it means losing everything.

Evenepoel, Pogacar, van der Poel, Pedersen, Ayuso, Hirschi, Vingegaard… A startlist full of stars for these 2024 World Championships, which promise to be exciting.