2024 World Championships RR Results & Recap
2024 World Championships RR is in the books. The final results and standings are below, followed by our recap of how the race unfolded.
Race Recap
Pogacar Finds the End of the Rainbow
Tadej Pogacar attacked from the peloton with 100 kilometres remaining. With around 50 kilometres to go, he dropped his last companion, Pavel Sivakov, and powered on to an astonishing victory. Ben O'Connor claimed silver, Mathieu van der Poel bronze.
The first breakaway featured Riley Sheehan, Ivo Oliveira, Emīls Liepins, and Filip Maciejuk, but it was short-lived. Then Andreas Leknessund, Jonathan Caicedo, and Erik Fetter gave it a go on the climb to Buch am Irchel. Also, to no avail.
After 30 kilometres, Silvan Dillier, Piotr Pękala, and Luc Wirtgen joined forces to attack before Tobias Foss and Rui Oliveira closed the gap. Simon Geschke, Markus Pajur, and Roberto Carlos González also bridged across. The latter two lost contact on the climb to Kyburg.
Pello Bilbao and Julian Alaphilippe crashed in the run-up to the circuit, and the former World Champion was forced to abandon the race.
The lead group opened a maximum lead of almost 6 minutes.
Just after passing the midway point, Laurens De Plus, Jan Tratnik, Mattia Cattaneo, Magnus Cort, Pavel Sivakov, Stephen Williams, Jay Vine, Kevin Vermaerke, Johannes Staune-Mittet, and Florian Lipowitz escaped from the peloton. They caught the leaders with four laps remaining.
With 100 kilometers to go, Tadej Pogacar attacked, as the peloton was two minutes behind. Andrea Bagioli and Quinn Simmons followed the move initially, but they couldn't follow. Tratnik waited for the Tour and Giro winner, and together, they rejoined the front of the race.
The peloton was almost 30 seconds behind as Pogacar sped up on the Zürichbergstrasse climb. Sivakov was the only rider who managed to stay on his wheel. The gap widened to 50 seconds under Pogacar’s impulse.
Ben Healy opened the chase with Oscar Onley and Toms Skujins. They crossed the finish 40 seconds behind the two leaders. Next was a group with Mathieu van der Poel, Frederik Wandahl, and Kevin Vermaerke.
On the penultimate ascent of the Zürichbergstrasse, Pogacar shook off Sivakov. In the background, Onley couldn't keep up with Healy and Skujins. The Brit was caught by Van der Poel before a group featuring Bauke Mollema, Remco Evenepoel, Enric Mas, Ben O’Connor, Marc Hirschi, Quinn Simmons, Mathias Vacek, Roger Adrià , David Gaudu, and Romain Bardet caught up.
Pogacar entered the final 1 minute ahead of Skujins and Healy. The Van der Poel group was another 30 seconds further behind.
Hirschi distanced his companions on the Zürichbergstrasse. Mas rejoined the home rider a couple of kilometers later, and together they regained contact with Skujins and Healy. Moments later, Van der Poel, Evenepoel, and O’Connor were also back in contention. Pogacar’s lead was down to 40 seconds by then.
With 10 kilometres to go, Van der Poel accelerated, and Hirschi and Skujins immediately followed his move. The others caught up later.
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