20/09/2024

Alaphilippe, Bardet, Gaudu, Sivakov, Madouas... France bring out the big guns for 2024 World Championships in Zurich

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.

One of the few riders who has beaten Tadej Pogacar in 2024 is taken out of the World Championships due to Covid-19

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.”