Marc Hirschi scores first his win of 2024 at Faun Drome Classic: "This victory is good for confidence"
Cycling
Marc Hirschi proved to be in a very good shape at the start of this season at the Faun Drome Classic. The Swiss champion was able to benefit from a numbers advantage of UAE Team Emirates in the final to ride away for a solo victory ahead of his teammate Juan Ayuso.
"This victory is good for confidence. Yesterday the legs weren't so good, but today they were a lot better. It was a beautiful race. These parcours are perfect for me. I don't often race in France so I was happy to be at the start here," said Hirschi to DirectVelo afterwards.
The 25-year-old rider also benefited greatly from the fact that his teammate Ayuso was with him in the final. "He was the leader. He attacked very strongly. I had to wait and see how the legs reacted to that acceleration. In the end I was able to join the leading group without having to ride because Ayuso was in front."
In the final kilometers, UAE Emirates then played the team game perfectly by allowing Hirschi to attack. "Ayuso kept his legs still and Skjelmose was already very tired, so there were actually only three riders in the chase. I knew it was my chance. I immediately took a few seconds and that was enough," he concuded.
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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