Lotte Kopecky wins again! Belgian defends title in Zurich with Dygert and Longo Borghini on the podium

It was a brutal and very tactical race, but the outcome was the same as last year. The 2024 World Championships in Zurich have reigned Lotte Kopecky the world champion in the women's elite road race, after resisting the many attacks and outsprinting a small group for victory.

Caroline Baur, Sara Martín and Nina Berton formed the day's breakaway, as the heavy rain caused a lot of tension in the peloton and saw a peloton that was always riding at high speed, with teams maintaining their leaders in front.

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The action kicked off with 118 kilometers to go with Lotte Kopecky accelerating in the peloton, but it would quiet down again. The breakaway would be caught with 100 kilometers to go and as in traditional fashion, the women's peloton never stopped and was constantly seeing dangerous moves.

A few groups would form but there was still a lot of firepower in the peloton that would organize a chase. Kopecky, Vollering and Longo Borghini were always active and present in counter-attacks; sometimes hitting the front themselves. With 42 kilometers to go Justine Ghekiere and Riejanne Markus attacked, and they were soon joined by another Dutchwoman Marianne Vos and Ruby Roseman-Gannon.

This attack was extremely dangerous and entered the final lap with over a minute over the peloton - led by, confusingly, Australia which had a rider in front. The quartet passed the two climbs in the head of the race but at the top of the final big climb Elisa Longo Borghini and Demi Vollering - the strongest uphill - bridged across to the front.

Lianne Lippert did too. Chloé Dygert and Lotte Kopecky eventually did as well, and in the rolling roads there were constant attacks that saw riders dropped and returning constantly. In the final hilltop Borghini and Vollering's attacks saw only four riders have the legs to fight for the win: Vollering, Longo Borghini, Kopecky and Lippert. But the slow pace saw Dygert and Roseman-Gannon bridge across once again at the entrance of the final kilometer.

Gannon attempted a late attack but a nervous Vollering covered everything that moved and put herself in front ahead of the sprint. Elisa Longo Borghini tried to surprise with an early sprint but couldn't get the necessary speed; Lotte Kopecky saw the move quickly and in the final sprint proved to be the strongest, taking her second consecutive world title. Chloé Dygert and Elisa Longo Borghini sealed the podium.

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