With defending champion Remco Evenepoel, Wout van Aert and Jasper Philipsen, Belgium is sending a very strong team into the world championship road race on Sunday (06.08.2023) in Glasgow. Tadej Pogacar should also be very motivated to go on a course that has a profile similar to that of a classic. The German team hopes for a good placement.
This year a lot is different for the professional cyclists at the World Championship race in Glasgow. So far, the road race has traditionally been the conclusion of a World Championship at the end of September. In 2023, the first edition of the UCI Super Cycling World Championships will be held almost two months earlier – in eleven days, the world cycling association will hold world championships in 13 disciplines. And the men’s road race on Sunday is a first highlight.
Final circuit with short, crisp climbs
The starting point of the 271.1-kilometre world championship race with an altitude difference of 3,570 meters is Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh. From there it goes to Glasgow on a 14.3 kilometer circuit through the city. There are ten laps for the pros in the World Cup final – and the track should demand a lot from the pros. The course is peppered with six short, crisp climbs, it is very winding and winding.
World Championship race facts
Start: Sunday, 9.30 a.m
Long: 271,1 km
Final circuit: 14,3 km (10x)
Altitude: 3.570
rainy weather forecast
So it might not be that easy to catch breakaways in the center of Glasgow and organize the pursuit. So the race could get nervous and confusing. Another factor could be the weather. 16 degrees, rain and gusty winds are forecast for Sunday.
Duel Evenepoel – Pogacar, Vingegaard not included
Belgium is starting with the undisputed strongest team. Leading the line-up is Remco Evenepoel, who has an impressive record of victories in difficult one-day races. Last Saturday, the 23-year-old Belgian won the Clásica San Sebastián. In spring he triumphed at Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
Remco Evenepoel bei der Clásica San Sebastián
After only ten months, the Vuelta winner now has to defend his title. In Scotland there is also a duel with Tadej Pogacar. The two exceptional tour drivers are certainly among the narrower circle of favourites. Both have already shone as soloists in the classics, and Pogacar is also very strong in the sprint. The Slovenian was also in good shape again at the end of the Tour de France, winning the penultimate stage in the Vosges. And as consolation for finishing second at the Tour, I’m sure Pogacar would love to take the world title with him. Incidentally, the third exceptional tour driver, Jonas Vingegaard, is not at the start in Scotland – but all three will be at the Vuelta at the end of August.
Classic specialists are among the favourites
In Glasgow, however, Pogacar will very likely have to do without helpers in the final, the Slovenian team is unlikely to be strong enough for that. The Belgian team in particular has a tactical advantage here, and cannot only play the Evenepoel card. With Wout van Aert, another Belgian is one of the top favorites – and if a larger group arrives, sprinter Jasper Philipsen could have a chance. The four-time Tour stage winner has already proven in France that he can also master a difficult course.
In addition to Evenepoel, van Aert and Pogacar, classic specialists in particular can hope for the world champion’s rainbow jersey. Matthieu van der Poel (Netherlands) and Mads Pedersen (Denmark) can also be expected in Scotland.
German team with minimum target top 10 placement
The German team is one of the underdogs in road racing. The classics specialists John Degenkolb and Nils Politt as well as the two-time Giro stage winner Nico Denz will be there. Degenkolb belonged to the top group at the spring classic Paris-Roubaix up to the final and was only stopped by an unfortunate fall. Politt, who is going into the race as captain on Sunday, managed to place in the top 20 at the Tour of Flanders, among other things. The course should suit both of them.
“We have a good chance of helping to shape the race. A top 10 placement is the minimum goal, we hope for more,” explains André Greipel, sporting director of the German professional team, in the press release on the German World Cup squad.
Schachmann has to cancel for the World Cup, Steimle moves up
Maximilian Schachmann was also part of the squad, but he had to cancel at short notice. Jannik Steimle takes his place. Schachmann on his cancellation: “Unfortunately, I had to realize in the last few days that my form is not optimal. That’s why I made room for a driver who can support the team better than I can at the moment.”
German World Championship Road Team Name Age John Degenkolb 34 Nico Denz 29 Michel Hessmann 22 Nils Politt 29 Jonasrutsch 25 Jannik Steimle 27