2024 UCI World Championships in Tabor: Junior Preview – Few chances for Netherlands and Belgium

2006 and 2007. These are the two years in which the young men and women who will compete for gold medals at the world championships in Tabor this weekend were born. The French have the best cards in both categories, although there are no top favorites anywhere. Cycling He is looking forward to a world junior title fight.

date

The most recent winners of the World Junior Championships
men
2023: Leo Biscio
2022: Jean Christine
2020: Tibau Nice
2019: Ben Tullett
2018: Ben Tullett
2017: Tom Pidcock
2016: Jens Decker
2015: Simon Andreessen
2014: This is aerts
2013: Matthew van der Poel

slim
2023: Isabella Holmgren
2022: Zoe Backstedt
2020: Shereen van Anerweg

last year

Men's result – Cycling World Championships Hoogerheide
1. Leo Besio in 43d 48s
2. Cena Remin in 11 seconds
3. Jordi Corsus is seventeen years old
4. Wes Nuyens is seventeen years old
5. Sippy van den Boer (26 years old).

Women's results – World Cycling Championships in Hoogerheide
1. Isabella Holmgren at 42m 13s
2. Ava Holmgren is in her twenties
3. Celia Geary is forty-seven years old
4. Federica Venturelli is 47 years old
5. Xaydee Van Sianaey is 52 years old

Effect

There has been speculation for weeks about the World Cup being played on snow and ice. Belgian national team coach Sven Vanthornhout said last week that such conditions would increase the chances of Mathieu van der Poel's rivals in Tabor, Czech Republic. But what will happen a few days before the world title fight? In the Czech Republic, temperatures only drop below freezing at night, and we definitely shouldn't rely on precipitation in the winter. “The temperature was often around five to six degrees this week in Tabor,” explains Jakub Ryman, one of the Czech professionals participating in the World Cup.

Two weeks ago, he got a taste of the track during the National Championships, in which he only finished 12th due to a poorly timed flat tire. “The lap was still covered with a layer of ice, which made it slippery in the corners. But Tabor remained a track where every rider could use his strengths and be the best version of himself.

“Given the changing conditions, I expect a quick cross at Tabor next Sunday,” Reiman says. “It won't be muddy out there anymore. It'll be a dry circuit. But on the other hand: the technical passes, like the high bars immediately before the tough climbs and the short bends, will always lead to a tiebreaker race. Those bars have always been crucial in Tabor, but I expect him to win Best rider on Sunday.

Since Tábor is a cross-country classic, many riders already know the circuit like the back of their hand. Mathieu van der Poel won his first professional world title in 2015 and his first European title in 2017. Moreover, we often find the World Cup round there at the beginning of the season. “You can compare the World Cup track to that by about eighty percent. The only real differences are that the sector at the back is oriented in a different direction and an extra loop has been added. On top of that, two extra bridges have been built.

However, the beams, which according to experts are the most famous passage of the cycle, deserve an extra word of explanation. Dutch racer Pim Runhaar in particular sees the danger in this. “Normally there are World Cup boards and they are easy to jump on. But I saw that there are other boards in it now. The ones that were there a few years ago are much higher and are very difficult to jump on.

“On top of that, that area slopes up there. Normally when it's flat, you maintain your speed on the bars. But here you have to hit that bar harder to maintain your speed between the bars. And that's definitely possible with those World Cup boards. You can He put the front wheel there, because it's a little bit wider beam. But what's there now is just a plank. So you shouldn't touch it, because then you'll fall. Take a look at the 2015 edition. Then Matteo hit those beams four times out of the seven rounds that “They rode it there. So it's a risk.”

Program and information

location
Komora Sports Area, Na Bydžově 3122, 390 05 Tábor

general information
Tickets are available Online And at the ticket office near the course. In the online store A ticket for all three days costs 38 euros. Individual tickets are also on sale for Friday (€4), Saturday (€15) and Sunday (€23). Children under 1.30 meters tall can enter for free.

Practical information
Site organization
Lists of participants

Favorite men

If we go to the final World Cup rankings, we have to do that Stefano Vizzi Give the most stars. The Italian won three rounds of the World Cup and was therefore a narrow winner. Viezzi, born in 2006 and therefore in the second year, is also the Italian champion and has already won ten matches this season. However, at the European Championships in Bonchateau he was defeated by strong French riders and had to be content with an ungrateful fourth place. Last weekend, in Hoogerheide, Viezzi was very strong.

Open Sparville He was the rider who stood on the highest podium at the European Championships in his country. Sparfel finished second in the final World Cup rankings, and we estimate he is roughly on the same level as Viezzi. The man who has taken twelve victories this cyclocross season has been very impressive in the European Championships and has shown that he can also hold his own in international championships. This European Championship win ensures we give him the most stars.

Sparville and Simon on the podium at the European Championships – Photo: Cor Vos

Sparfel and Viezzi are expected to make it a battle, although you never know at the World Junior Championships. Surprising names can always join the fray. Take, for example, the French expressants Jules SimonPaul Seixas, Louis Tanguy and Maxime Vizy. First, we think about Simone and Seixas, who were strong before this season. Simon finished third in the European Championship and Seixas became champion of France.

However, it is not only France and Italy that are in contention for medals. The Belgians can also expect a good performance Arthur van den Boer. The Dutch can count on this again Sina Remin And Kiji Solen. These three riders are the main rivals of the Frenchman and Vizi. Remmijn – who has just signed with the Rudhoft brothers – knows what it means to perform in a World Cup, having finished third in Hoogerheide last year.

Remijn in action – Photo: Cor Vos

Finally, a number of names that may surprise you. We mention, among others, the local rider Christophe Bazant, the Americans David Thompson and Henry Cote, the Dutchmen Floris Haverdings and Michel Maurice, the Italian Mattia Agostinaccio, the Belgian Mats Venden Einde, and the outstanding Danish talent Albert Inside Philipsen and Barnabas Vaas. The Hungarian surprisingly finished second in the European Championship and should in principle be able to perform well again.

Favorites according to WielerFlits
***Open Sparville
** Stefano Vizzi, Jules Simon
* Keiji Solen, Senna Remmen, Arthur van den Boer

Lists of participants

Favorite women

There are also two big favorites among young women. This time we award the most stars to the final World Cup winner. This is for women under 19 years old Celia Geary. The French rider won the World Cup by luck. Her biggest rival Cat Ferguson fell on a diagonal in the final minutes and narrowly missed out on the overall victory.

However, Jerry deserves to get the most stars. She won the European Championship in Ponchateau, became French champion and won no less than 11 times this season. Last season, she also placed third at the World Junior Championships as a freshman. This experience gives her an advantage.

Jerry won the European title in his country – Photo: Cor Vos

Al Jerry must have done a pretty good job, because Kat Ferguson He has been doing very well in recent weeks. The British were also on their way to victory at Hoogerheide, but fell. Unlike Geary, Ferguson has run a number of elite women's races and may have gained some extra toughness as a result. She did not do so completely anonymously, for example, in Diegem she came thirteenth. Not a bad result for a vice world champion on the road.

At the European Championships in November, Ferguson was easily beaten by Jerry. The third issue of that day, Victoria Shladonova, should become the competitor to the two names mentioned previously. The Slovakian took advantage of Ferguson's fall in Hoogerheide and won her first World Cup round. This will give her confidence in the hunt for a medal. Don't be surprised if Chladonová makes it a three-way match on Saturday.

Ferguson can dream of gold – Image: Cor Vos

Then we come to the British Imogen Woolf. She's had a full day at Hoogerheide, but she's someone who can get into the top five or more at Tábor. Like her compatriot Ferguson, she actually competed in the elite category which led, for example, to a 15th place in Javier. This is a great achievement on such a difficult path. In the Czech Republic, she will also have a training course to suit her.

Frenchman Amandine Muller, who finished fourth in the European Championship, can also aspire to be among the top five. For fans of riders from the Low Countries, this is mainly something to look forward to Book LangenbargWho finished third in Hoogerheide. It would be a surprise if Langenbarg competes for the world title. The same applies to her compatriot Mai Kabaka or the Belgian Chanel de Chausetre.

Dutch hero Langenbarg – Photo: Cor Vos

Who can still surprise is the American Vida Lopez de San Roman. With this name alone you can achieve great heights. We also mention local riders Amalie Gottwaldova and Katerina Doderova, Canadian Raphael Carrière, Frenchman Anais Moulin, Slovakian Sofia Angerova and Hungarian Regina Prochner.

Favorites according to WielerFlits
*** Celia Geary
** Kat Ferguson, Victoria Shladonova
* Imogen Wolff, Vida Lopez de San Roman, Bock Langenbarg

Lists of participants

Weather and TV

“The weather forecast in Tabor is very favorable,” says meteorologist Matthijs van der Linden. Cycling. He added: “The weather will remain dry over the coming days, with 5-6 degrees in the afternoon and a few degrees of frost at night and in the morning.” Later in the week the weather will be milder with 10 to 13 degrees during the day. Then the chance of frost at night decreases significantly.

“There are more clouds and the chances of some rain are increasing. Rain on Friday appears to be limited to the north of the Czech Republic, but it may also rain in the Tabor region over the weekend. For now, the amount of rain appears to remain limited,” the meteorologist forecasts. Air Weeronline. “This is a fairly favorable climate scenario for winter, because on average at this time of the year in Tabor it is just above zero during the day and freezes by 4 degrees at night.”