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The best photos from the UCI World Championships women’s road race 2024
In a rainy Zürich on Saturday, the women rounded out their week of UCI World Championships racing with the women’s elite road race. The 154km long course was brutal, mixing Classics specialists with GC leaders.
Following a chaotic final couple of kilometres, Lotte Kopecky came out on top in a reduced sprint to the line. Chloe Dygert of the USA came home in second place and Italy’s Giro champion Elisa Longo Borghini finished in the bronze medal position. The race also decided the under-23 champion, and saw Puck Pieterse of the Netherlands take the gold medal ahead of Neve Bradbury and Antonia Niedermaier.
Photographer Xavier Pereyron was on the ground in Zürich capturing the action in the fight for the elite and under-23 riders’ rainbow jerseys.
Click here for pictures from the men’s race.
Riders from the UCI Refugee Team, Afghanistan and Taiwan warm-up for the women’s road race. For these riders, international road races like this provide a great chance to score a big result. Afghanistan’s Fariba Hashimi, number 185, was the highest finisher, right in the thick of the action in 55th overall and seventh in the U23 race.
As is now customary, the Eritrean fans were out in their droves at the finish line.
Urška Žigart, partner of Tadej Pogačar, prepares for her own leadership duties after being snubbed from Slovenia’s Olympics team.
You can easily spot Lotte Kopecky in her Belgian flag helmet.
Much of the course was forested. This part of the course was near to singer Tina Turner’s former mansion.
With Lake Zürich in sight, the race lapped around the Swiss countryside with two influential hills: Witikon and the Zürichbergstrasse.
It was a brutal day to be a solo rider on Saturday.
With teeth chattering and raincoats soaked, the peloton drives up the hilly Swiss parcours.
Riejanne Markus pushes on in the breakaway. She was an influential figure in the Dutch strategy, even if her own orange jersey teammates were chasing in the peloton.
The Netherlands lead the chase with Tour winner Kasia Niewiadoma and reigning champion Lotte Kopecky in the wheels.
Bring the whole family along to the Worlds. ‘It’ll be a fun day out,’ they said.
Sometimes you just need a little help from the fans.
The British riders had a tough day out. This is Lichfield’s Josie Nelson alongside one of the two riders from Hong Kong.
Even the grey skies can’t dampen the mood of the fans out on the roadside.
Catching a glance at the chasing peloton in the final lap of racing.
In the end, Kopecky is too strong once again. The Belgian rounds out an excellent year with another world title.
Golden shades for the golden girl.
Now a double World Champion, Kopecky dives into the post-finish melee.
School yearbook photos.
Teamwork makes the dream work.
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