World Championship Race Report: Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia) won the men’s World championship road race in Zurich on Sunday. The Slovenian attacked with just under 100 kilometres to go and rode the last 50 kilometres solo. Ben O’Connor (Australia) took the silver medal. The sprint for third place went to Mathieu van der Poel (Netherlands).
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Tadej Pogačar does the triple: Giro/Tour/Worlds
The 2024 Route
The elite men start in Winterthur. In the first 70 kilometres the peloton has the climb to Buch am Irchel (4.8km at 4.2%), Kyburg (1.2km at 12%) and Suessblatz (1.7km at 8.5%) before they start the Zurich circuit. They cover nearly a full lap before they cross the finish line for the first time. The first part of the 26.8 kilometre circuit is the most difficult part, with two climbs in quick succession: The Zürichbergstrasse (1.1km at 7.4%) starts on a wide road, but after a couple of bends it narrows and the real climbing begins. The climb goes up in steps and the last bit is the hardest. The final hundred metres ramp up to 16%.
Worlds’24 men’s road race map
After the Zürichbergstrasse, there is a flat section of 1.5 kilometres, followed by the second climb on the circuit: The Witikonerstrasse (3.5km at 4.4%). This climb is all on a wide road. The first sections are not too hard, but there is a 1 kilometre section at an average of 8%. Towards the top, the climb levels off, but in the later laps the rider’s legs are going to hurt. There is a plateau of about 10 kilometres on the rolling road of the Pfannenstiel, there are the Zollikonstrasse (650 metres at 5.5%) and the Farlifangstrasse (800 metres at 3.6%), before the descent to Küsnacht. There is still the 1.5 kilometre climb of the Alte Landstrasse, at 5%, to Zollikon, which is 5 kilometres from the finish.
Worlds’24 men’s road race profile
The race then follows Lake Zurich with a gentle descent and then 2 flat kilometres to the finish line in Zurich. 273.9 kilometres with 4,470 metres of climbing, is this too hard for the Classic riders like last years winner, Mathieu van der Poel? This year’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège was ‘only’ 254.5 kilometres and had 4,260 meters of climbing, so the Zurich Worlds are longer and harder, but a World championship is not ridden in the same way as a Classic. It’s not a sprinter’s race, but it’s not an out-and-out climber’s race either.
A cold start in Zurich – Biniam Girmay
After 40 kilometres, a lead group formed o 8 riders: Silvan Dillier (Switzerland), Luc Wirtgen (Luxembourg), Piotr Pekala (Poland), Ivo Oliveira (Portugal), Tobias Foss (Norway), Simon Geschke (Germany), Markus Pajur (Estonia) and Roberto Gonzalez (Panama). Six riders were left after the Kyburg (1.2km at 12%), Pajur and Gonzalez were dropped. They built up a lead of 5:30. There was a crash in the peloton taking out Pello Bilbao and Julian Alaphilippe. Bilbao was able to continue, for a while. Alaphilippe, couldn’t. The two-time world champion was taken away by ambulance with a shoulder injury. Mattias Skjelmose, João Almeida and Mikel Landa also had to abandon.
One of the top favourites – Mathieu van der Poel
Once on the Zurich circuit, Belgium took control. Victor Campenaerts set the pace for the peloton. With help from Slovenia, the peloton closed down on the escape. The lead of the six fell below 3 minutes. They took a little more time, until the race split on the Zürichbergstrasse for the third time, with around 130 kilometres to go. Double Vuelta winner, Pablo Castrillo put in anattack, but he was soon caught by the peloton. The race was now on.
Can Tadej Pogačar add a rainbow jersey to his palmarès? Giro/Tour/Worlds in the same season
On the Witikonerstrasse, an attack by Jay Vine (Australia) led to a chase group of 10 riders getting together. Jan Tratnik (Slovenia) and Laurens De Plus (Belgium) were there for thier leaders, but the Netherlands had missed the move. The orange jersey were nowhere to be seen at the front of the peloton. Nobody led the chase, so Vine, Tratnik, De Plus, Mattia Cattaneo (Italy), Magnus Cort (Denmark), Pavel Sivakov (France), Stephen Williams (Great Britain), Kevin Vermaerke (USA), Johannes Staune-Mittet (Norway) and Florian Lipowitz (Germany) soon had 3 minutes.
Remco Evenepoel could make history today – A double/double: Olympic TT and road race and Worlds TT and road race in the same year
Even with Cort in the break, the Danes began to chase. The fourth time up Zürichbergstrasse, the Slovenians also began to work. The front groups had got together so there were 16 riders off the front. When they had 2, Kasper Asgreen attacked, with Wilco Kelderman on his wheel. This was neutralised by Slovenia. Quinn Simmons was the next to go.
The weather was much better than the women’s race
There was a battle to get in the early break – Germany’s Simon Geschke was one who made it
The fans were out on the climbs
Home rider, Silvan Dillier Silvan was in the break along with Rui Oliveira Rui (Portugal) and Luc Wirtgen Luc (Luxembourg)
The Slovenians were in control of the peloton
Bad luck has come back to Julian Alaphilippe, he crashed out of the race – Spain lost Landa and Bilbao and Portugal’s Almeida was also injured
The Worlds always pulls in the spectators
Was Evenepeol waiting to pounce?
Tadej Pogačar attacked the peloton with 100 kilometres to go and crossed to the break
Then the Slovenian jumped away from the break and only Pavel Sivakov could go with him
It was only a matter of time before the Slovenian was on his own – But there was still a long way to go
No one wanted to help Remco Evenepoel chase Pogačar after he had used up his teammates
Van der Poel could see the danger
Ben Healy Ben (Ireland) and Toms Skujins (Latvia) couldn’t get closer than around 40 seconds of Pogačar
Pogačar was holding them off
Job done for Tadej Pogačar
# Catch up with all the Worlds news in EUROTRASH Monday. #
World Championship Men’s Road Race Result:
1. Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia) in 6:27:30
2. Ben O’Connor (Australia) at 34
3. Mathieu van der Poel (Netherlands) at 58
4. Toms Skujins (Latvia)
5. Remco Evenepoel (Belgium)
6. Marc Hirschi (Switzerland)
7. Ben Healy (Ireland) at 1:00
8. Enric Mas Nicolau (Spain) at 1:01
9. Quinn Simmons (USA) at 2:18
10. Romain Bardet (France).
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