Pogacar is the top favourite to chase the missing rainbow jersey

Remco Evenepoel is the person most likely to be able to stand up to this year's Giro and Tour winner on the 274 km with over 4.000 meters of elevation. Defending champion Mathieu van der Poel and only a few others like Marc Hirschi can also be trusted to do the same.

The Austrian Felix Gall has not competed in a race since the Vuelta, which did not go ideally for him. "The World Championships are always at the end of the year, after a long season. It is often a bit difficult to mobilize all your strength again, but everyone feels the same," said the East Tyrolean. The huge importance of the World Championship race is undisputed. "You want to show your best side again," added Gall, who expects "a classic elimination race."

Evenepoel has something against it Evenepoel, on the other hand, has been in top form for months. After his strong Tour de France debut with third place, the 24-year-old had a splendid Olympic Games with the golden double strike. And at the start of the World Championships in Zurich, the Belgian also defended his title in the time trial.

Remco Evenepoel has already grabbed the rainbow jersey in the time trial. © ANSA / MICHAEL BUHOLZER

Not least because of this, he is brimming with confidence. "I'm pretty confident, my legs are good, that much is clear. Having won the time trial again makes me look a little more relaxed towards Sunday," said Evenepoel. The 2022 road world champion expects a "very special race that can go in many directions."

Icing on the cake of a successful season The most likely outcome, however, is a successful solo attack by Pogacar long before the finish. A good medal tip alongside the Slovenian is Hirschi, who has won several one-day races in recent weeks. In normal racing operations, the Swiss rider acts as a teammate of Pogacar and Großschartner in the UAE racing team, which has already achieved a ton of success this year.

Pogacar contributed a large part of this. The 26-year-old was not at the start after his impressive Giro-Tour double at the Olympics and the World Championship time trial. However, the road race in Zurich is at the top of his priority list. "Mathieu looks really good in the rainbow jersey, but I want to take it away from him," emphasised the Slovenian before the World Championship showdown with Van der Poel and Co.

The classic course with many, but not too long, climbs should suit the aforementioned Van der Poel well. The Dutchman deliberately lost a lot of weight in the summer in order to be able to keep up better with the lighter climbing aces. But Pogacar has no reason to fear after his successful dress rehearsal with the impressive victory in the one-day race in Montreal. "I just have to ride my own race," said Pogacar, who has already achieved several victories this year after very long solo rides.

Vollering against Kopecky? The women will compete in their World Championship race (154 km) on Saturday. The Austrian team will probably rely on Christina Schweinberger. The Tyrolean was a strong fifth in the World Championship last year, and in Zurich she already impressed with sixth place in the time trial. Schweinberger's supporters include her twin sister Kathrin, the strong climber Valentina Cavallar and Carina Schrempf. Victory will once again probably only come from Demi Vollering (NED) and defending champion Lotte Kopecky (BEL).

tennis

hockey

Winter sports

football

Italy

International leagues

International

Learn More

Motorsport

Cycling

Watersports

Favorites

Pogacar is the top favourite to chase the missing rainbow jersey

The rainbow jersey is one of the few major cycling trophies that Tadej Pogacar is still missing. On Sunday in Zurich, the Slovenian finally wants to win at the World Championships.

Comments (0)