Four Quebecers were in action Sunday on the grueling 271.1 kilometer course between Glagsow and Edinburgh, Scotland, as part of the men’s road race at the World Cycling Championships. Guillaume Boivin (13 minutes 59 seconds) and Nickolas Zukowsky (14 minutes 6 seconds) were the only two of the lot to reach the finish, respectively 36th and 40th.
After approximately 80 kilometers of running, the event had to be stopped for nearly 50 minutes due to the presence of demonstrators. This incident allowed Quebecers Zukowsky, Boivin and Hugo Houle to regroup to begin the 10 loops of the final circuit.
However, the attacks multiplied and things got complicated for the athletes of La Belle Province who still tried somehow to work together when possible.
“It was a really tough race, I made a big mistake in the first three laps where I wasn’t able to get through the feed zone. I lacked energy during the fourth lap, it was going fast and it was difficult to position myself well, I didn’t take care of myself,” commented Zukowsky.
For his part, Guillaume Boivin really hoped to do better during this prestigious race. Despite the fatigue, it was above all the result below his expectations that stood out during his post-race comments.
“Unfortunately, it hasn’t been a great day for us. We thought we were well placed, but gaps were created and we were not able to respond well. It’s a frustrating day,” Boivin said in an interview with Sportcom.
It was Mathieu Van Der Poel who caught the eye at the end of the race by becoming the first Dutchman to be crowned world champion in the elite men’s category since Joop Zoetemelk in 1985.
Van Der Poel achieved the feat in spectacular fashion with an attack on a climb 23 kilometers from the finish where he overtook the Italian Alberto Bettiol, who had escaped alone about thirty kilometers earlier.
The rain did not make it easy for the new world champion who suffered a heavy fall in a bend with 16 kilometers to go. He got back on his bike quickly to prevent his pursuers from catching up with him. He finally crossed the finish line with a lead of 1 min and 37 seconds over Belgian Wout Van Aert, second at the finish.
The podium was completed by the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar (1 minute 45 seconds), who overtook the Dane Mads Pedersen in the sprint.
For their part, Hugo Houle and Charles-Étienne Chrétien were forced to retire during the race. Houle was also the victim of a fall along with three other cyclists in the first laps of the circuit.
In the last few days, the atypical course of the men’s road race at the World Championships has caused a lot of ink to flow. The final 14.3 kilometer circuit included nearly fifty turns.
“It was a bit of a nonsense as a circuit! I don’t think it’s worthy of the World Championships. There could have been fewer corners while maintaining a technical aspect in the circuit. That’s the general opinion of the band, I hope at least it was fun to watch on TV,” Boivin said.
In addition, a few descents caused headaches for the participants during the reconnaissance of the course a few days before the event. Hugo Houle also mentioned his concerns on Instagram when he noticed a barbed wire fence at the edge of the track near a major curve in the middle of a descent.
“Everyone knew the course was really special, I’ve never seen anything like it at the World Championships. On the security side, it was not ideal. We want to do our part to protect ourselves, but when you’re in the heat of the moment, it’s not always easy to slow down,” concluded Nickolas Zukowsky.
The male athletes will be back in action on Friday, August 11, for the presentation of the time trial where Zukowsky and Ontario’s Derek Gee are currently the two announced representatives for Canada.
The time trial on the women’s side will take place on Thursday August 10, while the road race will take place on Sunday August 13. Olivia Baril and Simone Boilard should wear the Canadian jersey for the occasion.
As for track cycling, Lauriane Genest was the only Quebecer in action on Sunday at the Vélodrome Sir Chris Hoy during the keirin quarter-finals.
After finishing fifth in his qualifying heat the day before, Genest earned his ticket to the quarter-finals thanks to his second place in the repechage.
The Quebecer, however, was unable to carve out a place among the semi-finalists, she who finished fifth in her group, in the morning on Sunday.