The quest for the rainbow jersey kicks off this weekend with the road cycling world championships in Scotland. Remco Evenepoel and Tobias Foss will they keep their tunics? Roadmap to know everything about this 2023 edition.
This Sunday, August 6, in Glasgow, the 90th edition of the Road Cycling World Championships will take place. Remco Evenepoel and Tobias Foss will bring into play their world champion jerseys, conquered in Wollongong (Australia) last year. As in 2019, for his world premieres among professionals, it is in Great Britain that the Brabançon will set out to conquer a new gold medal. If all the disciplines are played during the week (from the junior road race on Saturday August 5 to the Elite Ladies road race on Sunday August 13), the Elite men race will take place this Sunday and on Friday August 11 it will be the time trial.
Where to follow the competition?
For the first time, the World Cycling Championships will bring together all types of bikes. BMX and mountain biking invite themselves into the race. The Worlds, which take place from August 3 to 13, can be followed on the France Télévisions group and on Eurosport.
What is the course of this 2023 edition?
As every year the course of the world championship is divided into two parts, a first in line of 120 kilometers and the other of 151 kilometers with 10 laps of 14.3km of track around the capital of Scotland. It is therefore a total of 271km between Edinburgh and Glasgow which will await the different nations. The first climbs will be located in the first parts of the route, even if the climbs are short, some passages are very steep and the chain of bumps may hurt the riders. Beyond the bumps, the riders will have to be skilful on their bikes facing the 49 right-angled turns of the circuit, watch out for breaks and falls since Scotland obliges, the rain should liven up the day. As in Harrogate in 2019, the weather conditions could have a serious impact on the progress of the race, especially on such a technical course.
Who are the favorites for the final victory?
Belgium wears the favorite costume to offer the grail to one of its riders. If Remco Evenepoel intends to keep his rainbow jersey that he showed off during the Clasica San Sebastien, his friends Wout Van Aert vice-world champion 2020 and Jasper Philipsen quadruple stage winner and green jersey of the last Tour de France could well trade their roles of luxury team members for that of leader if the legs respond. The course is cut for a runner accustomed to Flandrian races (Paris-Roubaix, Tour of Flanders, Ghent-Wevelgem) but the outgoing world champion has never competed in these races. Mathieu Van der Poel is also one of the favourites, the Dutchman dreams of wearing the rainbow jersey and he is perfectly supported by a team tailor-made for the occasion (Van Baarle, Eenkhoorn, Kooij). The sequence of difficulties could suit the grandson of Raymond Poulidor, winner of Paris-Roubaix and Milan Sanremo this year, Van der Poel is fond of this kind of route. Tadej Pogacar is also capable of donning the rainbow outfit, capable of brilliant shots on all terrains, the white jersey of the Grande Boucle could add a new line to his prize list.
Evenepoel, Van der Poel, Van Aert and Pogacar are the favorites for this 2023 world championship. Panoramic
The time trial cut out for whom?
It would be an understatement to say that this time trial is made for a rider, yet the 48km in the streets of Sterling will reward the strongest of the peloton. The first part is the most rolling with long straight lines, the last part will however be more hilly with in particular the final climb of 800m at 6% average. Filippo Ganna, defending champion Tobias Foss, former European champion Stefan Küng and the Belgians Remco Evenepoel and Wout van Aert are expected. The French champion in the discipline Remi Cavagna and the Swiss Stefan Bissegger act as outsiders and could create a small sensation if the weather gets involved.
What can the France team expect?
The training lined up by Thomas Voeckler World road cycling: Alaphilippe and Laporte take the French team could well do well in Glasgow. The team is led by two leaders. Julian Alaphilippe, the double world champion in 2020 and 2021 has been in difficulty in recent seasons. The tricolor puncher comes out of a rather disappointing Tour de France where he led the race with many kilometers in front without obtaining the slightest result. The other leader is Christophe Laporte, vice-world champion last year, who could have his day of glory in Glasgow. He comes out of a good Tour de France where he assured in his role as a teammate. This season the former Cofidis rider has shown the extent of his qualities in the Flanders classics, as evidenced by his victories in Ghent-Wevelgem and across Flanders.
Can outsiders surprise?
As in 2019, with the unexpected victory of Dane Mads Pedersen in Harrogate, an outsider could create a surprise and win ahead of the favorites. This same Mads Pedersen could win a second rainbow jersey four years later on a very similar circuit. You will have to resist to win, a notion that Kasper Asgreen knows well, stage winner on the Tour de France and the Tour of Flanders in 2021 after a big fight, the difficult weather conditions could benefit him. Finally, the technical course could suit the best downhiller in the world Matej Mohoric. In form on the Tour of Poland, the Slovenian was full of confidence before this big meeting. The Bahrain Victorious rider knows how to make real differences when the road descends with many twisty turns, he had also won in this style Milan San Remo in 2022.
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