Jan Christen is regarded as the cycling jewel of the future. The 20-year-old would have loved to start in the elite category at his home World Championships in Zurich. Now he is moving into the spotlight as an U23 rider with a (first) medal.
20 years ago, a successful U23 rider was seen as a promise for the future; today, the best in this age category have long since established themselves among the world's best. And this in all endurance sports: Dario Cologna won the Tour de Ski for the first time at U23 age, the Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum ran the world record in the marathon as a 23-year-old and Tadej Pogacar had not yet celebrated his 22nd birthday when he won his first overall victory at the Tour de France. Remco Evenepoel, who won the elite race on Sunday and won two gold medals at the Olympic Games, was also born in 2000.
Christen's tendency to compete in the Eilte in Zurich is understandable. After all, the man from Aargau, born in 2004, is already a professional on the World Tour. In the summer of 2022, he signed a five-year contract with Team UAE Emirates with leader Pogacar. The 2024 premiere season at the highest level is going very well. "Not everyone can boast three one-day victories in their first year," Christen emphasizes. "I can see my progress and am very confident about the future."
UAE team decided
Ultimately, Team UAE decided that Christen would start in the U23 category at the World Championships in Zurich. The team was primarily concerned with equal treatment with teammates Isaac del Toro from Mexico and Antonio Morgado from Portugal, who are also not (allowed to) ride with the big riders. In addition, Christen would only have competed in the elite road race, and this would probably have been as a helper for Marc Hirschi.
The successful junior years have already brought Christen many titles and medals as world champion in cyclo-cross, European champion on the road, world championship runner-up in mountain biking and Swiss champion in the track, cyclo-cross, mountain bike and time trial disciplines. He now ranks the bronze medal from Zurich in third place. Gold at the Junior World Championships and his first victory this year at the elite level mean even more to him.
UCI changes U23 format
"I know that I'm one of the best U23 riders in the world, regardless of my results in Zurich. I no longer need this confirmation," Christen said in the run-up to the title fights. In future, riders like him will no longer be in a dilemma. The UCI has announced that from 2025, riders with World Tour experience will no longer be allowed to compete in the U23 classes at UCI title races.
In Zurich, this regulation would have resulted in a completely different classification on Monday. The winner Ivan Romeo finished 12th in the overall classification at this year's Vuelta. Or the favored Belgian Alec Segaert, who broke in at the end, won the time trial of the Tour of Benelux a few weeks ago and finished the Word Tour race in second place after five stages.
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