On a wet Saturday chockablock with attacks, Lotte Kopecky defended her world title in Zürich, Switzerland, winning a six-up sprint. Busy all day, the Dutch were shut out of the elite medals but won the U23 championship through Puck Pieterse. Magdeleine Vallieres was top Canadian at 14th, while Ava Holmgren’s 22nd was fourth in the U23 category.
The Course
Each road race route of the 2024 Worlds included some combination of the circuit around Lake Greifen and the 26.8-km circuit that took in the east side of Lake Zurichsee and contained the 1.4-km, 7.2-percent Wilikon climb, with a connector between them. The elite and U23 women’s race consisted of one Lake Greifen loop and four Lake Zurich loops for a total of 154.1 km. Surprise! It was another wet road race.
#zurich2024 WE
🚩 Uster
🏁 Zürich
🚴🏻♂️ 154 Km
Weather: 🌧 10°C, moderate rain
Route: https://t.co/SJB2OdCjli pic.twitter.com/WGuwAxdK5n— La Flamme Rouge (@laflammerouge16) September 28, 2024
The Canadian contingent consisted of elite riders Alison Jackson, Olivia Baril, Clara Emond and Vallieres and U23’s Holmgren and Mara Roldan.
There was a minute’s silence at the start line for Muriel Furrer, who died from injuries suffered in the Junior women’s race on Thursday.
It wasn’t easy for a breakaway to hold fast, and the Lake Greifen circuit produced no escape with stamina, although there were plenty of attempts. But on the first climb of Wilikon, a strong group containing two Aussies distinguished itself, grew and crossed the line with a slight lead. Eighty-one kilometers remained. This move couldn’t survive the next trip up Wilikon. Surprisingly, Elisa Balsamo was dropped.
As the Dutch continued to power the peloton, 40 riders were left heading into the final two laps. Holmgren, Baril and Vallieres were still there.
On the penultimate climb of Wilikon, the Dutch shattered the group. Kristen Faulkner, Holmgren and Tour de France winner Katarzyna Niewiadoma were among those popped.
This decanting created a tough dozen. Marianne Vos, Demi Vollering, Kopecky and Elisa Longo Borghini were all accounted for. After Belgian Justine Ghekiere and Dutchie Riejanne Markus bolted, the Vollering group grew again, Niewiadoma, Vallieres and Holmgren latching back on. Vos and Aussie Ruby Roseman-Gannon bridged over to the leaders. When it heard the bell the quartet was a…
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