The World Championships will take place on Sunday, and it might be a battle for the ages. In Zurich, the course is not challenging enough to favor climbers over others, but it is demanding enough to require careful choosing. Belgium will not focus on Tadej Pogacar and Mathieu van der Poel’s tactics, but rather on how well their riders perform.
“It is a course that you should not underestimate, but certainly do not have to overestimate either,” Belgian national coach Sven Vanthourenhout said in words to Het Laatste Nieuws. “It is a World Championship circuit that we have not seen often in recent years. A solid elevation profile without many bends. On this course you can pedal long, constant wattages and then you end up with quite a few riders who are candidate winners.”
The climbs will be brief and not too steep, so classics riders should be able to keep up with most climbers, and Evenepoel is a good combination of both. Tim Wellens, Tiesj Benoot, and Maxim van Gils open up opportunities for the team to attack with its own high-quality riders.
“I don’t have a Pogacar or Van der Poel plan. I have in mind how we want to ride on Sunday, but that is a plan to win the race. Of course Tadej and Mathieu will be difficult contenders, but making a plan against one or certain riders is very dangerous,” he warns. “The fact that many riders will play along will only make the race more interesting”. That’s something Belgium can profit from, although it can’t be said that Remco Evenepoel will be given freedom. Most likely, Tadej Pogacar will cover the time-trial World Champion at all times if he attacks because the peloton will recognize the dangers of letting him go on a solo attack.
“Remco can also count on his team 100 percent. So, just like at the Olympic Games, we will start from our own strength. We are here again with a collectively strong team and that gives confidence,” he concluded.
