Along with Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel, the local cyclists are clear outsiders in the road race on Sunday. Why national coach Michael Albasini is still optimistic.
Zurich venue: The Swiss also want to beat Remco Evenepoel (pictured during the time trial) in the road race at their home World Championships.
A few minutes after the start of the World Championship road race in Winterthur, the drivers will pass the 600-inhabitant village of Berg am Irchel on Sunday. A special moment for Johan Jacobs because a fan curve orchestrated by school friends and relatives awaits the professional cyclist in his home community. What could be even more memorable if he then chases in front of the field.
There is a high chance that Jacobs will be in the early breakaway group, said Swiss national coach Michael Albasini in a conversation that took place before Muriel Furrer’s accidental death. That’s exactly what he nominated Jacobs for, says Albasini: “If there is an open exchange of blows at the beginning, I would like to send him on his way.”
The route measures an impressive 273.9 kilometers, the last time the course at the Road Cycling World Championships was even longer was in 1988. The hilly, strenuous final lap between Zurich city center, Greifensee and the Gold Coast has to be completed seven times alone. It is extremely unlikely that a breakaway group that has already formed in Berg am Irchel will get through.
So is it hara-kiri to want to “send Jacobs on his way” so early? Not necessarily. Other teams would be forced to work in the field while the Swiss could take it easy. And Jacobs would later be able to switch to the helper role if a compatriot catches up with him.
The Swiss national coach Michael Albasini.
The starting position is actually difficult: the big favorites on Sunday are Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel. Beating them has proven to be impossible in many recent races. If Pogacar wins, he will repeat a rare triple triumph. To date, only two men have won the Giro d’Italia, the Tour de France and the World Championships in the same year, Eddy Merckx in 1974 and Stephen Roche in 1987. Annemiek van Vleuten is the only woman to achieve this feat in 2022.
Pogacar is on a historic mission on Sunday. And yet, in conversation in the Kloten team hotel before Furrer’s accident cast a shadow over the event, the Swiss national coach was clearly looking forward to the home race. Albasini seemed remarkably optimistic.
That didn’t seem completely unjustified. The Swiss top trio, consisting of Marc Hirschi, Stefan Küng and Mauro Schmid, is also in form. Hirschi recently won five one-day races in a row, Küng triumphed in the time trial at the Vuelta, Schmid fought for two second places and a fourth place after hundreds of kilometers in breakaway groups.
Marc Hirschi is currently stringing together victory after victory, here he wins the Coppa Sabatini.
In 1998, Oscar Camenzind won in a similar constellation
“Three Swiss at a similar level who can all make the difference,” says Albasini, “that was last the case in 1998.” At that time, Oscar Camenzind, Beat Zberg and Niki Aebersold competed for Switzerland. Camenzind became world champion, although hardly anyone expected him at the time, and Albasini says: “I hope that’s a good omen.”
The coach wants to tell Küng and Schmid that they shouldn’t wait until Pogacar or Evenepoel push the pace on one of the seven final laps. Trying to respond to the sharp attacks of the high-flyers would actually be hara-kiri for them. The goal is to anticipate these and get up and away earlier. It would be ideal for Albasini if the stars first had to join a group with Küng or Schmid after their expected attack. After a merger, the Swiss could definitely stick with it, said the coach.
Somewhere on the final lap, just outside Zurich, Küng’s Belgian fan club will set up its 4.2 meter high, iron-framed Styrofoam sculpture on Sunday, which has already been seen in other races. It seems entirely possible that the real Küng, in the lead, races past his imitation.
Zurich’s Mauro Schmid shouldn’t be lacking support on the side of the track either, especially since he was particularly optimistic in advance. The 24-year-old said back in June: “The World Cup route is extremely well tailored to me. If I arrive in good shape, it will be a good race for me.”
Stefan Küng in the time trial at the World Championships in Zurich, which was disappointing for him.
Marc Hirschi is finding his way back to his 2020 form
Early offensives from teammates Küng or Schmid could help the third team reach the final comparatively unmolested. Albasini’s instructions are that Hirschi should conserve energy as long as he can. Because he is best able to counter explosive increases in speed. “Marc has found his killer instinct again,” said the coach. He is acting just as confidently as he did in 2020, in his best season to date.
The drivers celebrate harmony in advance. “For us it doesn’t matter who gets the result,” says Küng. “Everyone has a chance.” It is important to create racing situations in which others have to react. In the finale, we will ask each other who else feels good – and then support them.
Despite all the optimism, Albasini admits: “It will be difficult to keep Pogacar under control.” Especially since the World Cup got off to a mixed start for the Swiss men. On Sunday, Küng remained below his potential in the time trial, and on Wednesday Jacobs disappointed in the team competition. The unity propagated by Küng is the Swiss’ best asset.
