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Blue, red, black, yellow and green. The five colored stripes on the jersey mean the world to every professional rider. Whoever wants to get the number has to be a world champion. Stefan Küng already has two at home, in his apartment in Frauenfeld TG, but he won them on the track five years ago. Now he is aiming for the world road title in the time trial in Imola (It). Sure, I want to win. But others do too, ”he says.
Küng doesn’t want to lean too far out the window. And yet she cannot excuse herself from the role of medal contender. He doesn’t want that either: “I feel good, my head is fresh and my legs are fresh,” says the 26-year-old. It was precisely with this goal that he left the Tour de France after 16 stages. It was worth it. “I feel much better than if I had finished the tour.”
Puzzle piece for confidence
But his optimism is not based solely on that. The material also fits. Küng drives a Lapierre time trial machine that he created. “With this piece of the puzzle I was able to close the gap to the best. And who knows, maybe I can even overtake them, ”Küng said. Most recently he won the Swiss championship and the European championship. “Everything fits. That gives you confidence in yourself.”
In the almost completely flat 31.7 kilometers of the World Championship starting and finishing at the Imola Formula 1 circuit, Küng wants to accelerate from the start. But what are you thinking about in the last minutes before such an important race? Küng has to smile. To be honest, I don’t know. Probably because I’m in the tunnel like this. I just wait and want to get off the ramp as quickly as possible to show what I’ve been doing for days. “
More self confidence
The competition is much tougher this time compared to the MS. The favorites that are mentioned often are: Rohan Dennis, the two-time world time trial champion from Australia. Also Filippo Ganna (It), four times world champion in individual pursuit on the track. The Belgians Victor Campenaerts (Be) and Wout von Aert (Be), Tom Dumoulin (Ho) and Geraint Thomas (Gb).
And Küng. He says, “When you call my performance, I’m sure I’m up front. The biggest difference from previous years is that now I have more confidence in myself. “
One thing is for sure: if Küng “only” finished 10th, as he did a year ago in Yorkshire, he would be bitterly disappointed. Because: Since then, thanks in part to the bronze medal on the road a few days later, it’s been fueling their morale. He would love to pay tribute to his nickname “King Küng”.
