A parade of burgeoning expertise will probably be on show for the lads’s under-23 particular person time trial on the second day of competitors on the 2024 UCI Road World Championships. The U23 males will compete on the identical 29.9km course utilized by the elite girls the day earlier than, using from Gossau to Zürich.
The 327 metres of climbing begins simply 3km from the beginning ramp in Gossau, positioned within the northeastern nook of Switzerland close to the border of Liechtenstein. To cross by the foothills of the Pfannenstiel, the course winds up a 2.6km climb passing Oetwil am See, the gradient averaging 4.5%. Two kilometres from the crest on the northern outskirts of Uetikon, there may be one smaller 1.4km incline that results in a steep 1km descent, with pitches of 10-12%. Then the climbing is completed and a right-hand flip follows the japanese shore of Lake Zurich for the quick, flat 12km to the end line within the largest Swiss metropolis.
A sculpture of David and Goliath, depicting the younger shepherd conquering the large with solely a sling and stones, overlooks the end line on Sechseläuten sq. by the lakeshore the place one rider will emerge with the rainbow jersey.
Last 12 months Lorenzo Milesi (Italy) stunned Belgium’s Alec Segaert to win the world title, with Hamish McKenzie (Australia) in third. There is not any title defence for Milesi as he’s set to race for Movistar on the Tour of Luxembourg, September 18-22. Cyclingnews seems on the prime 5 riders who will compete for the open prime step on the rostrum.
Alec Segaert (Belgium)
Gold medalist Alec Segaert of Belgium celebrates males’s U23 ITT victory at 2024 UEC Road Cycling European Championships (Image credit score: Luc Claessen/Getty Images)
The favorite to win the U23 world title within the particular person time trial is three-time U23 EUC European champion Alec Segaert (Belgium). In his three appearances at street worlds up to now, he has been a relentless on the rostrum – third within the males’s junior time trial in 2021 and a pair of silver medals within the final set of U23 rides.
Segaert, who has been using professional with Lotto Dstny since 2023, turned heads final week when his ITT profitable time on the 31.3km dry course on the Continental Championships, 35:06, was 9 seconds quicker than elite males’s winner Edoardo Affini (Italy). And with the U23 defending champion absent because of a dedication to his commerce crew at a five-day stage race, Segaert has a path ready to a gold medal.
Artem Shmidt (United States)
Artem Shmidt completed sixth for Team USA within the ITT at Wollongong Worlds (Image credit score: Getty Images)
Team USA brings a pair of younger riders into the time trial who are actually teammates at Ineos Grenadiers, so one, or each, may land on the rostrum. The first alternative is Artem Shmidt because the reigning US males’s U23 ITT nationwide champion. He didn’t end effectively at shorter time trial phases this season, however took the nationwide title at an extended distance of 33.7 kilometres. As a junior, he completed prime 6 at Wollongong Worlds in each the ITT and street race.
Jakob Söderqvist (Sweden)
Jakob Söderqvist finishes second in U23 ITT for Sweden at 2024 UEC European Continental Championships (Image credit score: Luc Claessen/Getty Images)
U23 ITT champion of Sweden Jakob Söderqvist is on a mission for a gold medal. The 21-year-old earned the silver on the EUC European Championships per week in the past and final 12 months completed seventh at Worlds. He is a time trial machine, having 4 podium finishes, two of them victories, in races in opposition to the clock at stage races this 12 months with Lidl-Trek. Riding with the WorldTour contingency at Tour de la Provence, the teenager completed second to teammate Mads Pedersen in that 5km prologue.
Hamish McKenzie (Australia)
Hamish McKenzie (Australia) with a bronze medal in males’s U23 ITT at 2023 World Championships (Image credit score: Dario Belingheri/Getty Images)
The 20-year-old from Australian is a former junior silver medallist at Worlds within the time trial. In his first 12 months matching up in opposition to the U23s final 12 months he completed third. This season he earned a silver medal at Australian nationals. His schedule of races haven’t offered any very long time trials so he’s a little bit of an unknown coming on this 12 months. However, he has signed a two-year contract with Jayco-AlUla for the following two seasons so will probably be trying to impress his future employers.
Ben Wiggins (Great Britain)
Ben Wiggins (Great Britain) reacting to gold medal in males’s junior Madison at 2023 Track World Championships (Image credit score: Alex Whitehead/SWpixcom)
Making his inaugural look within the U23 discipline is Ben Wiggins. A 12 months in the past at street Worlds, he completed on the rostrum within the junior ITT because the runner-up. Competing on the observe, he earned a rainbow jersey that 12 months within the Madison, using alongside Matthew Brennan.
At 19 years previous he is available in because the U23 silver medallist from British nationals, ending simply 10 seconds off the profitable tempo on a 30km course. He additionally gained as a junior within the ITT the 12 months earlier than. He has 39 races in his legs with restricted alternatives to race in opposition to the clock. A testing course on the World Championships could also be what he must showcase his energy and time-trialling skills that must be in his genes, father Bradley Wiggins an ITT champion at each the World Championships and Olympic Games.
