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When the world champion in the road race is determined on Sunday, Marc Hirschi will once again be the Swiss favorite.
Since the turn of the millennium, Swiss cyclists have rarely shone in World Cup road races. Stefan Küng’s bronze strike last year, the first medal a Swiss has won since Markus Zberg in Verona in 1999, was an exception.
This year the situation is different: with Marc Hirschi, Switzerland has a trump card in the fight for the coveted rainbow jersey. The 22-year-old recently proved at his Tour de France debut that despite his young age, he also has what it takes to be at the forefront on Sunday.
His offensive driving style during the 3 weeks in France earned him not only great recognition, but also a stage victory and the award for the most combative driver on the tour.
Team Leader at 22
Two years after his World Championship title in the U23 category, Hirschi already leads the six-person Swiss team as the leader in his second World Championship race among the elite. Due to the role of favorites, the young Bernese and his experienced colleagues from the national team Michael Albasini (39), Enrico Gasparotto (38), Michael Schär (33), Silvan Dillier (30) and Simon Pellaud (27) are invited to help. actively shape the race.
Anyway, no one will underestimate Hirschi more. Nor because the Imola World Cup route is adapted to its qualities. The 9-lap course of a good 29 km (a total of 258.2 km and 5000 meters of altitude) is like a classic from the Ardennes and is probably too easy for pure mountain bikers and too difficult for explicit sprinters.
Van Aert as the main favorite
Hirschi is one of a long list of favorites headed by Belgian Wout van Aert. The three-time winger world champion has made an irresistible impression since the World Tour restart on August 1. In the shadow of Van Aert, his compatriot and Olympic champion Greg van Avermaet has a chance of winning.
Favorites also include Jakob Fuglsang of Denmark, as well as Julian Alaphilippe of France and Michal Kwiatkowski of Poland. With Slovenian overall winner Tadej Pogacar, as well as compatriot Primoz Roglic and Australian Richie Porte, the entire podium of the tour is also at the beginning.
