2024 World Championships Road Race – Report

How the race finished

Lotte Kopecky (Belgium) reclaimed the rainbow stripes, winning her second World Championship title in a small bunch sprint ahead of Chloé Dygert (USA) and Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy).

Coming home in 13th place, Puck Pieterse (Netherlands) was the first Under 23 rider, winning the title ahead of Neve Bradbury (Australia) and Antonia Niedermaier (Germany).

Full results are available below.

How it happened

Taking place in miserable weather from Ulster to Zürich, Switzerland, the 2024 World Road Race championships was an attritional race, featuring a continuously climbing and descending circuit over 155km. With all the riders wrapped up in their wet weather gear, it was difficult to see who was where on the road. In the opening kilometres, many of the main contenders were visible towards the front, staying safe and keeping an eye on the moves.

Nina Berton (Luxembourg), Caroline Baur (Switzerland), Sara Martín (Spain), built up almost a minute lead, but with attacks continuing to fly in the peloton behind, it wasn’t secure. After the peloton eased off a little, Tiffany Keep ( South Africa) tried to bridge to the leading trio, but was caught again with 127 km to go.

As the race moved from the waterlogged fields on to the climb, the breakaway’s lead fell. Mischa Bredewold (Netherlands) set the pace on the front.. Across the top a number of riders removed jackets, preparing for the pace to only continue to increase. Before the descent, defending champion Lotte Kopecky (Belgium) attacked a little kicker with Kasia Niewiadoma (Poland) on her wheel. There was a  panic as the group strung out, but no gaps opened up. Jelenic Eric (Serbia) countered, getting a few metres of distance and extending her gap on the descent in search of the leaders. After the descent the peloton was in pieces, with small groups forming across the road. The trio up front held only a slim lead of 20 seconds.

Reijanne Markus (Netherlands) slipped off the front but was followed by Justine Ghekiere (Belgium), drawing a small group clear before easing. On the first crossing of the finish line the leaders held 30 seconds, but the climbs loomed again. As the road went upwards Baur struggled to keep pace with her breakaway companions and dropped back to the peloton, while Nina Berton (Luxembourg) pushed on solo, but was caught by the group a few kilometres later. 

With 100km to go, as the road continued to undulate,  Niamh Fisher Black (New Zealand) attacked. Rejianne Markus (Netherlands) followed, drawing a small group clear which included Elena Hartmann (Switzerland), Mie Bjorndal Ottestad (Norway) and Ghekiere (Belgium). Sarah Gigante (Australia) and Urska Zigart (Slovenia) bridged across, as behind, it broke up in chase. When the peloton had the group back in sight Soraya Paladin (Italy) and Christine Majerus (Luxembourg) bridged across. Germany, Poland  and France led the chase as the major nations to have missed the move.

Trade teammates and U23 title contenders Antonia Niedermeier (Germany) and Neve Bradbury (Australia)  tried to bridge the gap, inciting a chase from the Netherlands. The peloton itself was significantly depleted, with only around thirty riders remaining. Mischa Bredewold (Netherlands) led the chase and then, getting a gap herself, passed the duo and pushed on to join the group in the lead, taking Franziska Koch (Germany) with her. Through the finish line the group held a slender lap of ten seconds, but the peloton had relaxed the chase.

On the steep climb out of Zurich the group Pauliena Rooijakkers (Netherlands) set the pace in the peloton with Demi Vollering on her wheel. After sweeping up the breakaway Rooijakkers continued to push on, forcing teammate Puck Pieterse, who had a mechanical, to chase back on. As the group swelled Markus attacked again, once again taking Fisher Black and Ghekiere with her and stringing out the group behind. Through the feed zone, riders struggled to take bottles in the slippery conditions, while Kopecky was able to pick up a feed bag. 

The Netherlands continued to play the numbers game, with Bredewold and Markus continuing to attack, but each time it came back together. With 63.7km to go, Vollering came to the front, looking around for her teammate to come through on the descent. Marianne Vos (Netherlands) attacked out of the bottom of the descent, drawing an even more select group clear, and when it came back the Netherlands continued to pace the bunch. The next time under the finishing banner, at 53 km to go and two laps to go, the race was all together at the front. 

Pieterse set the pace for the Netherlands the next time up the climb, before Vos and then Vollering increased the pace, shelling a number of riders.  After the small descent Roijakkers came to the front as she had done on the previous lap, piloting Vollering and putting many riders under pressure, including Niewiadoma. Vollering herself was left to push the pace, but realising she had no team members left, sat up to take on a gel. Bradbury clipped off sneakily, and was followed by Vollering, before Borghini made the move to bridge across and then went over the top with speed as Liane Lippert (Germany) made her way across. Juliette Labous (France) pulled the group including Kopecky back, as others made their way back on. 

Through the feed zone Caroline Andersson (Sweden) took a flyer. Pieterse and Bradbury set off in pursuit but couldn’t get across. As the bunch almost brought Andersson back, Ghekiere, Markus and Vas launched, setting off a string of attacks. With 42.7 km Markus attacked solo, and was once again joined by Ghekiere. When Vos rejoined the group behind she went straight over the top and attacked, and even after Vos dropped back, the Netherlands continued to pace despite Markus being in pole position to take a shot at the win. 

On the descent Swiss rider Elise Chabbey brought it all back together, but once again Markus and Ghekiere attacked. This time Vos came across with Ruby Roseman Gannon, and with Markus pacing for Vos the quartet built a lead of 40 seconds going into the final lap. 

On the final time up the climb the chasing group was split, with Vollering, Kopecky, Longo Borghini, Lippert and Chloé Dygert clipping off. With 20 km  to go Longo Borghini attacked, with Vollering on the wheel. Over the top they reached the leaders, and as Vollering tried to go straight over the top Roseman Gannon jumped on the wheel. Lippert also made it across, while Vollering kept the power on at the front despite putting her teammates Vos and Markus under pressure at the back.

Kopecky, Dygert, Vos and Markus found themselves chasing. Dygert dropped Kopecky on a small punch, making her way back to the front at 14km to go. Ghekiere and Roseman Gannon, after being incredibly active all race, were carefully not taking turns, and the lack of cohesion allowed Kopecky and Vos to also rejoin. As they came through the flooded descent Vollering was at the front, and no one was riding.

Markus rejoined the front group with 12km to go, coming straight to the front. Kopecky was second wheel while Vollering sat at the back, on Longo Borghini’s wheel. With tactical nouse, Kopecky moved over to effectively block the road on the punch climb at 10.5km to go, neutralising any attacks. On the next climb Vollering attacked but Kopecky was right on her wheel. The group lined out, but the only riders dropped were Vos, Markus and Ghekiere, meaning the leading five were all solo without teammates. 

Kopecky took the front through the final descent, with Dygert losing the wheel. On the next slight uphill Roseman Gannon blew up, leaving only Vollering, Longo Borghini, Lippert and Kopecky at the front. At 5.5km to go Longo Borghini attacked, and there was no reaction. Eventually Vollering was forced to drag the group back, and Lippert had to let Vollering go. On the next small descent the four came back together again, and began to look at each other. 

Inside 2km to go Dygert and Roseman Gannon came back to the front. Roseman Gannon took a flyer, but Vollering was immediately on her wheel. Finding herself on the front, Vollering was forced to leadout. Longo Borghini opened up her sprint first, allowing Kopecky to come through the centre, easily winning by more than a bike length. Dygert came up the outside for second, and Longo Borghini held on for third. 

Results

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