With Slovenian Tadej Pogacar thought to be the top favorite to win the gold medal on Sunday at the Cycling World Championship road test, the list of candidates to fight for medals, and even gold because of a World Cup is very long. and anything can happen, it is very broad.
We take a look at the main favorites to hang the gold medal around their neck next Sunday in Zurich, at the Cycling World Championship road test.
1
TADEJ POGACAR (26 YEARS)
SLOVENIA
He is, and a priori with a wide margin over others, the main candidate to become world champion. The key to this favoritism lies in his performance, which supports him. He won all but two of the races he competed in this season, and arrived at the World Cup after winning with authority, like almost all of his victories this season, in Montreal, on a course similar to Sunday’s. This is his sixth appearance in a World Cup road race. His best result was the bronze last year
2
REMCO EVENEPOEL (24 YEARS)
BELGIUM
The Belgian cyclist may be one of the few cyclists capable of following Evenepoel when he decides to break the race. Remco has already won the World Championship time trial in Zurich this year and will be looking for a historic double on Sunday. In his favor, apart from his legs and his intelligence on the bike, is the strong team that surrounds him, which unfortunately Van Aert does not have. Remco aims to once again become the champion in road cycling, which it already achieved in 2022
3
MATHIEU VAN DER POEL (29 YEARS OLD)
NETHERLANDS
It defended the title it won brilliantly last season, although its performance this season seems to be a bit lower, at least on the road, than what we’re used to. He returned to victory lane a few days ago at the Tour of Luxembourg, but has not won since last March, at Paris-Roubaix. He has a strong team around him and this Sunday will be his fifth appearance in a World Cup on the road. You are fully qualified to revalidate the title
4
PRIMOZ ROGLIC (34 YEARS)
SLOVENIA
12th in the World Cup time trial in 22nd, it remains to be seen what Primoz Roglic’s attitude will be in Sunday’s race. He himself pointed out that he does not know if he will give everything for Pogacar to embrace the gold because the race is also going well for him. It is true that it can be adjusted in its characteristics, but in terms of performance, Pogacar is and has proven to be superior. ‘Rogla’ arrives at the World Cup after comfortably winning his fourth Vuelta, and this will be his sixth appearance on the road to a World Cup, with 6th place in 2020 as his best result.
5
MARC HIRSCHI (26 YEARS)
SWISS
The Swiss arrive in top form for Sunday’s World Cup event. Hirschi, who did not compete in the time trial, has shown great form in recent days, after stringing together six consecutive wins and finishing 6th at the Tour of Luxembourg. He abandoned the last two World Championship road races in which he participated (2021, 2023), but was 3rd in 2020. He will be accompanied by five riders, in which Mauro Schiid may also have a say in the race.
6
BINIAM GIRMAY (24 YEARS OLD)
ERITREA
The Eritrean cyclist is somewhat behind the cyclists described above, but depending on the demands of the route he may have his options in Zurich. This season he again showed what he is capable of, winning the Belgian classics and achieving a triple victory in the Tour de France to earn the green jersey on a regular basis. He only has previous experience in a World Cup road race. It was in 2022 and he finished 54th.
7
MATTEO JORGENSON (25 YEARS OLD)
USA
Jorgenson does not have the World Cup numbers to bet on him on Sunday – a presence and abandonment before time, 2021 -, but if he has the day he has enough depth and legs to have a good performance and be in the fight for the medal. He is one of seven cyclists who make up the full United States team, which also includes notable names like Quinn Simmons, Neilson Powless, Brandon McNulty and Magus Sheffield. Also, you know how Pogacar spends his time, in Montreal he was one of the few who tried to follow him, but ended up lifting his foot
8
MADS PEDERSEN (28 YEARS OLD)
DENMARK
The Danish cyclist has already produced a surprise in 2019 in the rain and has enough quality and legs to do it again. 4th last year, Pedersen is a very complete runner, already 6th this year in the European Championship, who also goes to the event surrounded by a strong team where there are also serious names that could be the perfect protagonists in career, like as This is the case of Mattias Skjelmose, Magnus Cort or Kasper Asgreen.
9
JULIAN ALAPHILIPPE (32 YEARS OLD)
FRANCE
Capable of the best and the worst, Alaphilippe is a personal bet of mine. Two-time world champion (2020, 2021), the French cyclist once again had a good chance to try to become the stars. The route conforms to its characteristics and the only question is knowing how it gets there. He studied Pogacar well in Montreal, where he finished third, and around him there are seven teammates who can put themselves at his service or he at theirs, as in the case of Romain Bardet, Valentin Madouas, Rudy Molard or David Gaudu
10
ANTONIO TIBERI (23 YEARS OLD)
ITALY
He is one of the most talented and badass cyclists in the peloton. He made his debut at the age of 23 in a Cycling World Cup, he did not compete in the time trial, and went to Switzerland after impressing at the Tour of Luxembourg, where he took the overall victory and was also the best. young man, an honor he had already achieved at the Giro d’Italia. He has seven other colleagues around him and it remains to be seen what their behavior will be, because Diego Ulissi, Marco Frigo or Giulio Ciccone can also act.
11
SPANISH NATIONAL TEAM
SPAIN
The call of the national coach Pascual Momparler aroused great enthusiasm among the fans, because of the list of elite cyclists, for whom the route is very good, considering the characteristics of each one. There are Enric Mas, Mikel Landa, Carlos Rodríguez, Roger Adrià, Pablo Castrillo, Juan Ayuso, Pello Bilbao and Alex Aranburu. The key is to know what the coach’s bet will be, but some of them have already shown their abilities. The last Pello Bilbao, second in Montreal after the galactic Pogacar
Source: La Verdad
I’m Robert Maynard, and I am a passionate journalist with experience in sports writing. For the last few years, I have been writing for Today Times Live. My main focus has been on sports-related stories and features. With my strong background in journalism and extensive knowledge of the industry, I am able to provide readers with well-crafted pieces that are both informative and engaging.
