2023-08-05 14:46:51
The men’s individual road race at the World Cycling Championships in Scotland will take place on Sunday 6 August. The Frenchman Christophe Laporte could well be a leading outsider against the outgoing winner, the Belgian Remco Evenepoel, who is the big favorite.
Published on: 05/08/2023 – 14:46
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Two weeks after the end of the Tour de France, which he did not participate in, Remco Evenepoel comes to defend his title in Scotland. On Saturday July 29, the Belgian runner signed a record hat-trick by winning the Classic San Sebastian in Spain where he had already won in 2019 and 2022. A real successful warm-up lap as the Worlds approach.
After a second consecutive victory over another classic, Liège-Bastogne-Liège in April, but forced to retire in the Tour of Italy in May, Remco Evenepoel, 23, therefore confirms his status as favorite for the road race of the Worlds. But the young Belgian could come across a serious competitor in the person of Christophe Laporte.
Christophe Laporte, one of the best French people today
At 30 and in the prime of life, the Varois, a member of the Dutch Jumbo-Visma team, is one of the best French people today. He could well play the spoilsport: this season, he has offered himself two great classics (Ghent-Wevelgem, Through Flanders), and two successes in the Critérium du Dauphiné.
The vice-world champion of the title, is on his feet as shown by his Tour de France where he worked hard for the winner Jonas Vingegaard. ” I gained a lot of confidence, and confidence changes a lot for a runner “, he explained to France Télévisions during the Grande Boucle. Above all, the course in Scotland perfectly suits his profile as a classics runner, who is fast, resistant and all-terrain.
« It’s a special circuit, we haven’t seen it for a very long time. It’s very technical, you need punch and experienced guys. There are 48 corners and there are ten laps, that’s close to 500 corners over the last 140 kilometres. If it rains, I prefer not to know what it will give “, declared the coach Thomas Voeckler who counts a lot on Christophe Laporte, “ a very important element ».
Don’t miss your chance
It will be the longest distance since 1981 in Prague in Czechoslovakia with 277.6 kilometers from Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, to Glasgow. A 133km loop will be covered before entering a city circuit, with ten 14.4km laps consisting of short and technical climbs.
« There will be adversity superior to us on paper, but we are going to bring the jersey back », announces Thomas Voeckler. ” I need, it’s true, my moments for me, to have my chance. I can’t team up all year either », advanced Christopher Laporte in the columns of Release before the last Tour de France. In Scotland, the super lieutenant of the Jumbo-Visma, who shone in the three biggest stage races in France (Tour de France, Paris-Nice and Critérium du Dauphiné) will have the opportunity to play the leading roles.
The men’s selection for the road race: Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal-Quick Step), Rémi Cavagna (Soudal-Quick Step), Benoit Cosnefroy (AG2R-Citroën), Bryan Coquard (Cofidis), Christophe Laporte (Jumbo-Visma), Olivier Le Gac (Groupama-FDJ), Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ), Florian Senechal (Soudal-Quick Step)
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