Chloe Dygert reacts to her World Championships silver: “I wanted to win”

Chloe Dygert finished second in the women’s road race at the 2024 World Championships in Zurich, falling just short of victory behind Belgium’s Lotte Kopecky. This silver medal followed her bronze-winning performance in the time trial the previous week, showing her consistency across the championship events.

Reflecting on her result, Dygert shared mixed emotions. “At the beginning of the race I honestly didn’t expect a medal, but now that I’ve won silver I’m a bit annoyed. I wanted to win,” she told Cycling Pro Net. “I’m honoured, and it means a lot to me. This year hasn’t been a good year for me. To have silver now is amazing.”

The 27-year-old from Indiana, who claimed gold in the team pursuit for the USA at the Paris 2024 Olympics, was happy with her efforts but couldn't fully celebrate the achievement. Her sprint came up short against the formidable Kopecky, but Dygert acknowledged that her recent struggles, including lingering complications with her leg, had made her path to the podium more difficult.

“I have to learn to live with it. There were some convulsions in my leg,” Dygert revealed, speaking about the physical toll. “When it’s so cold and I sweat a lot, there’s little you can do. There’s hardly any blood circulation and my leg doesn’t recover well. At times, it’s also tough on the bike. Then I ask myself: can I continue like this? The pain was sometimes eleven out of ten.”

Despite these challenges, Dygert’s performances at the World Championships prove her resilience, and her silver in Zurich reflects an impressive bounce back in a difficult year.