Can Van der Poel defend world title in Zürich? Course similar to Liège-Bastogne-Liège

It's not difficult to design a tough course around the Swiss city. After all, Zürich has in the past hosted a challenging hill classic. The upcoming World Championships also seem best suited to the capabilities of hill specialists. In the case of Van der Poel, the course seems to be pushing his limits - but it certainly isn't impossible for him to take the victory.

The race starts in Winterthur, followed by an initial loop of 88 kilometers. During this section, the riders must tackle the climbs of Buch am Irchel (4.8 km at an average gradient of 4.2 percent), Kyburg (1.3 km at an average of 10.2 percent), and Suessblatz (1.7 km at an average of 8.5 percent). Subsequently, the riders reach Zürich for the local circuit, which they have to complete a total of seven times.

The loop is 26.8 kilometers long and features the Witikon climb as its most decisive section. This hill is 1.9 kilometers in length and has an average gradient of 6.2 percent. Halfway up the climb, the gradient peaks around ten percent. After the Witikon, there's a swift descent followed by a short rise to the finish near the Opera House, close to Lake Zürich (Zürichsee).

The total length of the race would be 276 kilometers, similar to the recent edition in Glasgow. The total altitude gain amounts to 4,300 meters, considerably more than this year and comparable to Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

For Van der Poel, it certainly won't be a walk in the park, but the route seems to fit within his capabilities as a rider. After all, he is one of the best punchers in the peloton and has shown resilience in races with a similar amount of climbing. For instance, in 2020, he finished sixth in Liège-Bastogne-Liège and came in tenth in the even tougher Tour of Lombardy.

The fact that the climb on the local circuit is no longer than two kilometers should be considered an advantage for Van der Poel. The average gradient of 6.2 percent isn't necessarily a disadvantage for a rider of his build, compared to pure climbers.

Perhaps Van der Poel's stage victory in the Tour stage to Mûr-de-Bretagne (2020) is the best benchmark. That climb is similar to the Witikon, and back then, Van der Poel managed to convincingly beat men like Tadej Pogacar and Primoz Roglic - who are considered contenders for Zürich. The UCI Road World Championships are scheduled for September 29, 2024.

The course for the time trial has also been leaked. The chrono is 46 kilometers long, and just over halfway there's a climb of 2.4 kilometers at 4.9 percent. After a descent, there are a few more short climbs, including one of two hundred meters at eight percent. The last fourteen kilometers are flat. All in all, a course that current time trial world champion Remco Evenepoel will know how to handle.