Alaphilippe, Bardet, Gaudu, Sivakov, Madouas... France bring out the big guns for 2024 World Championships in Zurich
Cycling
The 2024 World Championships in Zurich are quickly approaching and nations from across the planet continue to unveil their lineups. The latest of these is the French and national coach Thomas Voeckler has brought out the big guns.
Led by two time Rainbow Jersey winner Julian Alaphilippe, Voeckler can also call upon the climbing strengths of the likes of Romain Bardet, in one of the final races in the professional career of the Frenchman, a resurgent David Gaudu fresh off the back of a 6th overall finish at the 2024 Vuelta a Espana, UAE Team Emirates' Pavel Sivakov, who played a key role in support of Tadej Pogacar and co over this year, plus silver medallist in the road race at the Paris Olympic Games earlier this summer, Valentin Madouas.
Completing the eight man team for the men's elite road race, are the workhorses, Julien Bernard, Romain Gregoire and Rudy Molard. Meanwhile, in the fight for rainbows against the clock, the French's dual attack is composed of Bruno Armirail and Thibault Guernalec.
“Beating Tadej Pogacar will certainly be very difficult," Voeckler admits. "Especially on a circuit of this type, but the Slovenian is less unbeatable in a context like this than in a Grand Tour. It can be done, in the end it is a cycling race and we do not start out defeated. Alaphilippe? I cannot know if today he is stronger or weaker than in Leuven 2021, but I really believe that the various adversities faced have made him grow. Today he is a different rider, with full awareness of his means.”
France for the men's road race at the 2024 Zurich World Championships:
Julian Alaphilippe
David Gaudu
Romain Bardet
Valentin Madouas
Pavel Sivakov
Romain Gregoire
Julien Bernard
Rudy Molard
David Gaudu
Romain Bardet
Valentin Madouas
Pavel Sivakov
Romain Gregoire
Julien Bernard
Rudy Molard
France for the men's time trial at the 2024 Zurich World Championships:
Bruno Armirail
Thibaut Guernalec
Thibaut Guernalec
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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Closer than ever! 🔥 The 2024 UCI Road and Para-cycling Road World Championships take on Zurich's streets from tomorrow. 🌈 Time to show your support! 👇 #Zurich2024
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