Belgian coach astonished by 2027 World Championships course: "It's something we've almost never seen in any race"
Cycling
One of the topics of the moment is the announcement of the route for the 2027 World Championships. The UCI presented an edition to be held in Sallanches, France, which will be one of the toughest mountain climbing courses the cycling history remembers.
The circuit will consist of 20 laps of more than 13 kilometers and 285 meters of elevation gain each. That adds up to a total of 5,700 meters of accumulated elevation gain throughout the entire road race. A real challenge for all cyclists, without exception.
As expected, opinions are multiplying, and they are very polarized. Serge Pauwels, one of the most interested parties being the Belgium coach, has recently spoken about it. In statements collected by Sporza, this is what he thinks:
"It's going to be very tough. It's something we've almost never seen in a World Championships or in any race. Towards 6,000 meters of altitude, that's only seen in very hard mountain stages. They're going for the exact copy of the 1980 World Championships won by Bernard Hinault," he begins. That year, only 15 riders reached the finish line.
The sprinters know they will have nothing to do at a World Championships like the one planned in Sallanches. That, for Belgium, is a drawback considering that two of their leaders are Jasper Philipsen and Tim Merlier. "They have to be patient. We will have to wait until Abu Dhabi, I guess, in 2028," adds Pauwels.
And the favorites?
Two years from now, Serge Pauwels says it is very difficult to predict who could become world champion at the brutal World Championships in 2027. Although logic points to Tadej Pogacar, Remco Evenepoel or Jonas Vingegaard, you never know:
"Within 2 years new names could come up again. Everything goes very fast. Every year new talents emerge and, who knows, then there could be new superstars," he finishes.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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