Nice Britain’s Stevie Williams is aiming to be “aggressive” in a troublesome males’s street race on the World Championships in Zürich this Sunday, as a part of a “actually sturdy staff”.
The 28-year-old Welshman has loved his finest 12 months so far, attaining two WorldTour degree wins on the Tour Down Beneath and La Flèche Wallonne at first of the 12 months, earlier than taking victory on the Tour of Britain Males in early September. With a spot in Nice Britain’s squad confirmed, Williams says he’s now trying to carry his profitable kind into his elite worlds debut in Zurich on Sunday.
“I’d prefer to go there and be aggressive,” Williams instructed Biking Weekly on the current Grand Prix Cyclistes de Québec and Montréal in Canada. “It is a goal of mine to go there with good legs, however I’m underneath no phantasm that it’s one of many hardest races of the 12 months.”
“It should be extraordinarily tough to get into the ultimate and attempt to race for the victory,” he added. “But when I’ve a very good day then I am going to strive my finest to be there and provides it a very good shot. On the finish of the day it’s the World Championships. If you happen to can’t get motivated for that then what are you able to? We’ll be taking a extremely sturdy staff and hopefully as GB we will actually present our colors nicely.”
Williams flew straight to Canada on the Monday after profitable the Tour of Britain Males. As a consequence of fatigue and minor sickness, he didn’t end the GP Montréal which was ultimately received by the recent favorite for the boys’s street world title, Tadej Pogačar.
The Aberystwyth-born rider nonetheless made the worlds choice for Nice Britain and can line up alongside Tom Pidcock, Adam and Simon Yates, Oscar Onley, Jake Stewart, James Knox and Mark Donovan within the street race in Zurich.
Regardless of his success this 12 months, Williams was hesitant to say that he felt he may lead the British staff in Switzerland. As an alternative, the 28-year-old was diplomatic and mentioned that he would merely accept any position within the staff that got here his means.
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“I feel with GB now we now have lots of power in depth in climbing and punching,” he mentioned. “We’ve got a stacked pool of riders who’re world class. So whether or not I’m going there and try and race the ultimate, or I’m going there and assist another person deep into the race, that is additionally okay.
“It’s going to be one thing we discuss nearer to the time as soon as we’re there, which is after we’ll begin to make selections and take a look at how we will do our greatest.”
Conserving the religion
(Picture credit score: SWpix.com)
Reflecting on his finest 12 months so far, Williams mentioned that his success had at instances felt surreal. The Welshman is a rider that has at all times proven monumental potential, along with his finest outcomes starting to reach after a transfer to Israel-Premier Tech on the finish of 2022.
Williams took his first stage race victory on the 2023 Arctic Race of Norway nevertheless it was this 12 months the place he made a giant step. His kind did not go unnoticed and resulted in a prolonged contract extension coming his means through the Tour de France, which is able to preserve him with the staff till 2028.
“I do not suppose I might have instructed you at first of the 12 months or in winter final 12 months, that I would be capable of be sitting right here now as a winner of those races,” Williams mentioned as he mirrored on his breakthrough 12 months. “Generally I actually need to pinch myself and attempt to work out if it is actual or not. In order that’s tremendous particular for me, particularly after all of the s**t previously.
“It simply actually reveals that anybody who’s struggling with accidents or going via a foul second simply preserve the religion, after which hopefully you may come out the opposite facet and be even higher for it. That actually labored for me.”
A eager sportsman away from biking, Williams admitted that he was now wanting ahead to the off season and an opportunity to immerse himself in different sports activities throughout a uncommon spell away from the bike.
“I am unable to wait to have the ability to sit down and watch some soccer and watch Liverpool,” he mentioned. “They’re taking part in very well now so I am going to comply with them for a lot of the winter as I do now, however hopefully I am going to truly get to a few soccer video games and simply get pleasure from all of it.
“In any other case it’s going to be good to spend time with family and friends, spend time with my girlfriend, and simply overlook in regards to the bike for a couple of weeks till we steadily construct all of it up once more.”
