A contingent of nine riders from the Intermarché-Wanty team will travel to Zurich, Switzerland, to represent their nation in the road races of the World Championships, with four starting in the U23 race on Friday, September 27th, and five in the Elite event on Sunday, September 29th.
The Zurich road race features a course that favors climbers with a good punch, with significant elevation gain. The 27-kilometer circuit includes the ascent of Witikon (1.7 km at 7%) as its main attraction. Starting from Uster, the U23 riders will have to climb it five times for a total race distance of 173 kilometers. Two weeks after winning the European U23 title, Huub Artz will be competing in his first World Championships with the Dutch team. He will be joined at the start by his two Eritrean teammates at Wanty-ReUz-Technord, Aklilu Arefayne and Mewael Girmay, and his future teammate Francesco Busatto. The 21-year-old Italian, who rides for the WorldTeam, is returning to the U23 race with a vengeful spirit, as a crash ruined his chances the previous year in Glasgow.
On Sunday, five Intermarché-Wanty riders will have to cover 100 kilometers more from Winterthur and conquer the climbs of Buch am Irchel (5 km at 5%), Kyburg (1.3 km at 10%) and Suessblatz (1.7 at 8%) at the beginning of the race, before seven laps of the Zurich circuit. At the start, we find the Tour de France green jersey winner Biniam Girmay, who won a historic silver medal for Eritrea in 2021 in Leuven, as well as recent European bronze medalist Madis Mihkels for Estonia. South African Louis Meintjes, U23 World Championship silver medalist in 2013, returns to the World Championships for the first time since 2020, while Italian Lorenzo Rota and German Georg Zimmermann are competing for the third and fourth time in the race for the world champion title.
Georg Zimmermann:
“I’m really looking forward to these World Championships. Even though I’ve participated several times in previous years, it’s always a special atmosphere and you never get used to it. It’s also nice to reunite with the national team and the best riders from my country, the young talents and also the female riders. The best cyclists in the world gather here. The course is tough, it reminds me of Imola in 2020, with demanding climbs in the circuit. To do well, it will be a huge challenge, but I’ve trained hard, so I’m ready. I’m confident, especially since we’re here with a strong team and my preparation for the World Championships has been perfect.”
Huub Artz:
“I’m approaching these World Championships with a lot of confidence and motivation, especially after my European title. I don’t feel much pressure because I already consider my season a success. My form is good, if I have a good day, I think the course can suit me with all the technical climbs, both the steep and the longer ones. Winning the world title depends on many factors, not just the legs, so I hope to reach the podium. The support of Intermarché-Wanty has allowed me to arrive in the best possible condition. I wasn’t at the level I hoped for at the Tour de l’Avenir, but we were able to adjust our plans to use it as preparation. This allowed me to be in excellent form at the Euros and now at the Worlds.”
Francesco Busatto:
“I expect a difficult and demanding race. I’m sure it will be unpredictable because that’s the nature of the World Championships. My form is good but many competitors can say the same. If I play my cards right, I can do well because this circuit suits my qualities. The start is relatively flat, then come the climbs with the approach to the technical and hilly summit. Controlling the race will be very difficult, the heavier riders will not cope as well with the climbs so we must expect them to attack on the flat. It’s crucial to be at the front from the start. I think I can come away with a good result, as always I start with the ambition to win but I would also be happy if one of my compatriots makes it to the podium. Our Italian team is very strong, we will take our responsibilities and we will try to be the ones to initiate the action. The preparation with Intermarché-Wanty has been ideal, it started early with the Tour de Pologne and the Canadian classics, I feel very strong now and I’m ready to give my best.”
