Mathieu Warnier, Media365: published on Friday September 27, 2024 at 3:40 p.m.
Find the main information you need to know about the elite women’s and men’s road races of the world cycling championships, organized this weekend in Zurich.
What are the routes?
Organized this Saturday, the elite women’s road race will be contested over a distance of 154.1 kilometers with an elevation gain reaching 2,488 meters. The start will be given from the town of Uster for a first flat loop around the Greifensee. Entry onto the final circuit will take place from the 30th kilometer. After a first passage across the finish line, the candidates for the rainbow jersey will have to complete four laps of the final circuit.
The next day, the men’s road race will be 273.9 kilometers long with an elevation gain of 44.70 meters. The runners will set off from Winterthur for a first loop of 33.5 kilometers, the highlight of which will be the ascent of Buch am Irchel. On the return to the city center of Zürich, the Kyburg climb could allow a breakaway to take off before entering the final circuit after 69.4 kilometers. Once the finish line is crossed for the first time, there will be seven laps of the final circuit to complete.
This final circuit, which was the scene of the mixed team relay this Wednesday, will be just under 27 kilometers long and will offer two main difficulties. Shortly after the finish line drawn on Sechseläutenplatz, the climb to Bergstrasse (1.1km at 8% average) will offer ramps of up to 15%. At the same time, the ascent of Witikon (2.3km at 5.7%) will impose a new effort on the runners.
What are the favorites?
Title holder, Lotte Kopecky is one of the candidates for a new rainbow jersey for the elite women’s race. The Belgian will however have to be wary of the Olympic champion in Paris Kristen Faulkner when the Dutch armada will also count on the race for Marianne Vos, Demi Vollering and Riejanne Markus. Italy also has a choice squad with Elisa Balsamo, Elisa Longo Borghini, Soraya Paladin and Gaia Realini. Katarzyna Niewiadoma, Grace Brown, Elise Chabbey, Mavi Garcia, Liane Lippert and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig could also play their card.
When it comes to the men’s road race, one name comes up very often among the favorites. This is Tadej Pogacar. On a course that could suit him, the Slovenian did not hide his ambitions. However, the holder of the rainbow jersey Mathieu van der Poel intends to compete with the winner of the Giro and the Tour de France this year. After the Olympic title in Paris, Remco Evenepoel is also a strong candidate for a new world title in the road race. Riders such as Tom Pidcock, Adam Yates, Ben O’Connor, Daniel Felipe Martinez, Juan Ayuso, Ben Healy, Giulio Ciccone and Marc Hirschi will have to be taken seriously.
Who are the French people involved?
Coach of the French women’s team, Paul Brousse recently confided that he had never had such a strong collective at the World Championships. Les Bleues will be able to count on Juliette Labous, Evita Muzic and Cédrine Kerbaol to play the leading roles with Jade Wiel, Marion Bunel and Léo Curinier in support. A group reinforced by recent Olympic mountain bike champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, who is making her long-awaited return to the road during these Worlds with the desire to be an ideal teammate.
Thomas Voeckler, for his part, has prepared a group capable of handling all situations. Already crowned world champion twice, Julian Alaphilippe will be one of the leaders with Valentin Madouas, David Gaudu and Pavel Sivakov. For his last in the French team, Romain Bardet could also have a role to play when Julien Bernard, Romain Grégoire and Rudy Molard have everything to play spoilsport in a long-term strategy.
Who are the broadcasters?
These road cycling world championships are broadcast on the antennas of France Televisions andEurosport. Both elite online races will be broadcast in full by both broadcasters.
For the women’s race, France 3 will go on air at 12:55 p.m. when Eurosport 1 will launch its coverage from 12:15 p.m.
Regarding the men’s race, France 3 will go on air from 10:30 a.m. before switching to France 4 at 11:20 a.m. and until 12:55 p.m. The end of the event will then be broadcast on France 3. For his part, Eurosport 1 will go on air from 10:15 a.m.
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