Belgium’s Alec Segaert slumped to the bottom in ache and disappointment after ending the under-23 males’s world championships time trial in Zurich, realizing he won’t ever have one other shot on the world title that has eluded him for the final two years.
Segaert is taken into account a future star of Belgian biking however missed out for a 3rd consecutive season within the time trial. He was quickest on the second intermediate time examine however then cracked on the flat roads into the headwind alongside the shores of Lake Zurich and misplaced 59 seconds to Spaniard and Movistar WorldTour rider Ivan Romeo, who pushed 500 watts to win the world title, whereas his rivals for the medals struggled to push 420 watts.
With the UCI reportedly planning to ban WorldTour and ProTeam professionals from competing within the under-23 class on the World Championships, Segaert can solely hope to develop right into a world-class time triallist and problem within the elite males’s class.
“I feel my legs harm greater than my delight and my ambitions proper now. I got here right here for the perfect end result, the world title, however that was not attainable at the moment,” Segaert defined within the end space, as Romeo pulled on the rainbow jersey on the close by podium.
“Throughout the previous few kilometres I went actually deep, I do not suppose I’ve ever gone so deep. I am nonetheless recovering. I had a sew and my imaginative and prescient went black for a second,” he mentioned.
“I knew that Ivan Romeo had ridden an important end and that it was going to be very troublesome. However on the ultimate flat half, I simply did not attain my energy. I suffered way more than I had hoped.”
Segaert admitted that suffered on the mid-course climb and did not recuperate for the ultimate push to victory.
“I went tremendous arduous on the climb, that was wanted. However then there was nonetheless an extended approach to go on the flat a part of the course. I hoped that I may push the facility there however I simply did not have it within the legs. It is unhappy however it’s the reality,” he mentioned.
Segaert, now 21, completed third within the junior world championships in 2021 behind Britain’s Josh Tarling. He was then second to Norway’s Soren Waerenskjold within the under-23 time trial in 2022 and second to Italy’s Lorenzo Milesi final 12 months. In Belgium, he was thought-about the massive favorite to win the under-23 world title after going so shut in recent times.
Segaert rode for the Lotto-Dstny ProTeam in 2024, using a sequence of semi-classics, stage races and even the latest Renewi Tour WorldTour stage race. He received the Grand Prix Criquielion one-day race in March after which the time trial stage on the Renewi Tour, beating a number of big-name WorldTour riders.
He’ll solely flip 23 on January 16, 2026, however is able to totally concentrate on skilled racing. He’s in opposition to the attainable rule adjustments for 2025 however adamant his final under-23 race might be Friday’s highway race, as a part of a powerful and bold Belgian group.
“I wasn’t going to trip within the under-23 race subsequent 12 months as a result of I hope to trip within the elite race. However I do suppose the under-23 race ought to be open to each under-23 rider like at the moment,” he argued.
“It was a pleasant area right here with all the professional riders. I feel that is the way it ought to be. If you’re the perfect under-23 rider, then you definitely deserve the title in case you are a professional or not.
“I do not suppose they need to change the principles however have a format just like the under-23 ladies, with perhaps everybody in the identical race however a distinct world champion and podium.”
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