The young Brit Joshua Tarling is also one of the favorites
Image: Keystone
American Brandon McNulty also has his sights set on a medal in Zurich
Image: Keystone
He is already an Olympic time trial champion, but not yet a world champion: Primoz Roglic
Image: Keystone
Two-time time trial world champion Filippo Ganna wants to pull the coal out of the fire for Italy
Image: Keystone
Representing the Swiss colors in the absence of Marlen Reusser: Elena Hartmann
Image: Keystone
Gained a lot of momentum with his stage win at the Vuelta: Stefan Küng
Image: Keystone
Switzerland has a second trump card with Stefan Bissegger
Image: Keystone
Remco Evenepoel received a golden bike after his double Olympic victory in Paris. The Belgian will be the defending champion in the world championship time trial on Sunday
Image: Keystone
Competing as defending champion: The American Chloe Dygert
Image: Keystone
Belgium's Lotte Kopecky (right) and Demi Vollering from the Netherlands are among the favorites in the women's time trial
Image: Keystone
The young Brit Joshua Tarling is also one of the favorites
Image: Keystone
American Brandon McNulty also has his sights set on a medal in Zurich
Image: Keystone
He is already an Olympic time trial champion, but not yet a world champion: Primoz Roglic
Image: Keystone
Two-time time trial world champion Filippo Ganna wants to pull the coal out of the fire for Italy
Image: Keystone
Representing the Swiss colors in the absence of Marlen Reusser: Elena Hartmann
Image: Keystone
Gained a lot of momentum with his stage win at the Vuelta: Stefan Küng
Image: Keystone
Switzerland has a second trump card with Stefan Bissegger
Image: Keystone
Remco Evenepoel received a golden bike after his double Olympic victory in Paris. The Belgian will be the defending champion in the world championship time trial on Sunday
Image: Keystone
Competing as defending champion: The American Chloe Dygert
Image: Keystone
Belgium's Lotte Kopecky (right) and Demi Vollering from the Netherlands are among the favorites in the women's time trial
Image: Keystone
The World Road Cycling Championships in Zurich reach their first sporting highlight on Sunday with the elite time trials. The most important facts at a glance.
Will the double Olympic champion also deliver in Zurich?
The role of favorite belongs to defending champion Remco Evenepoel. After his historic double at the Olympic Games in Paris, the 24-year-old Belgian wants to add another rainbow jersey to his palmarès. However, the exceptional rider, who immediately made it onto the podium at his debut at the Tour de France in the summer, can look back on an intense few weeks. "A lot happened after the Olympic Games," he said in a media round table on Friday. "Lots of parties, requests and celebrations. It hasn't been easy." In the meantime, he also fell ill, which is why he had to miss last week's home European Championships. However, he took his time and remained calm. "That was the right approach to be in good shape now." He assures: "There's still gas in the tank."
Who are the biggest challengers?
Evenepoel has the opportunity to make history once again. If he wins the title, he would be the first man to become Olympic and world champion in the same year. A whole series of highly decorated challengers want to prevent this. One of the closest favorites is Stefan Küng, a Swiss rider. However, there is plenty of competition to challenge the two-time European champion for his third world championship medal in the time trial: Italian Filippo Ganna is already a two-time world champion (2020 and 2021), young Brit Joshua Tarling rode straight to the podium in his world championship debut in the elite category last year, and Primoz Roglic comes to Zurich as a record Vuelta winner. Like Evenepoel, the Slovenian can call himself an Olympic champion (2021 in Tokyo). If Küng doesn't make the cut, Switzerland has a second trump card in Stefan Bissegger.
What are the characteristics of the routes?
Putting your head down and racing along the lake is just one skill that is required on the World Championship courses - namely at the very end. After the start on the open track in Oerlikon, the elite men's race covers 413 meters in altitude over the 46.1 km. Due to a climb including a counter-climb in the middle section, it is important to pace yourself. Overall, the all-rounders have an advantage. The women start in Gossau and have just under 30 km to cover to the finish at Sechseläutenplatz.
Who are the favorites?
Lotte Kopecky will start on Sunday afternoon as European champion. The 28-year-old is hungry for more and would be the first Belgian ever to become world champion in this discipline. Her biggest rivals are Australia's Grace Brown, the Olympic champion from Paris, Ellen van Dijk and Demi Vollering from the Netherlands, as well as defending champion Chloé Dygert, who finished third on the Olympic podium in Paris and was already time trial world champion once in 2019.
What can we expect from the Swiss women?
The absence of Marlen Reusser weighs heavily. A podium finish is out of the question, even the top ten is difficult to achieve. Elena Hartmann from Graubünden, who finished 17th at the Olympics in Paris, will represent the Swiss colors. Jasmin Liechti will also be competing. However, the athlete from Bern will be classified as an U23 athlete. In contrast to the men's race, two sets of medals will be awarded in the women's race. The men's U23 time trial with Swiss hopeful Jan Christen will take place on Monday.
Since when have there been global time trial titles?
The individual time trial at world championships has existed since the 1994 World Championships in Catania, Sicily - in all categories. The team time trial, which had existed since 1962, was abolished in 1995. The tradition of team competitions was only resumed in various formats from 2012. The mixed relay has been established since 2019.
What does a look at the eternal medal table tell us?
Thanks to Fabian Cancellara's four World Championship gold medals between 2006 and 2010, Switzerland is in second place in the men's category. Alex Zülle contributed the fifth title in 1996. Stefan Küng with silver and bronze, Tony Rominger with bronze and three third-place finishes by Cancellara add up to eleven medals for the men. The Swiss women are also doing very well with nine podium places: Karin Thürig (2 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze), Nicole Brändli (2 silver) and Marlen Reusser (2 silver, 1 bronze) are responsible for this.
SDA
