Cycling Road World Championships 2024 – in pictures

The UCI brought the greatest road riders to Switzerland in ultimate test of talent, tenacity and toughness

Olga Shekel competes in the women’s elite individual time trial, a 29.9km ride from Gossau to Zurich.

Photograph: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images

Franziska Matile-Dörig takes it all in after her victory in the women’s C4 individual time trial.

Photograph: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com/Shutterstock

Trinidad and Tobago’s Teniel Campbell focuses at the start line of the women’s individual time trial.

Photograph: Chris Auld/SWpix.com/Shutterstock

A bloodied Jay Vine crosses the finish line during the 46.1km men’s elite individual time trial around Zurich.

Photograph: Michael Buholzer/EPA

Guatemalan cyclist Sergio Chumil races by spectators during the men’s elite individual time trial.

Photograph: Chris Auld/SWpix.com/Shutterstock

Mexico’s Isaac del Toro is cheered on during the men’s under-23 individual time trial, where he finished 12th.

Photograph: Zac Williams/SWpix.com/Shutterstock

Young fans cheer as Australia’s Emily Dixon rolls down the start ramp in the 18.8km women’s junior individual time trial.

Photograph: Chris Auld/SWpix.com/Shutterstock

An alternate view of Austria’s Wolfgang Schattauer during the men’s H2 road race.

Photograph: Ed Sykes/SWpix.com/Shutterstock

Filippo Ganna, who won gold for Italy in the team pursuit at Tokyo 2020, wore an Olympic rings necklace while coming second in the time trial.

Photograph: Ed Sykes/SWpix.com/Shutterstock

Maxime Hordies on his way to taking his third successive men’s H1 UCI world title … before announcing his retirement from the sport.

Photograph: Ed Sykes/SWpix.com/Shutterstock

The peloton rides past open fields in the women’s junior road race, a 73.5km route from Uster to Zurich.

Photograph: Zac Williams/SWpix.com/Shutterstock

A loud spectator cheers on Viktoria Chladonova (centre) and Cat Ferguson (left). British rider Ferguson went on to win the race while Slovakia’s Chladonova finished third.

Photograph: Zac Williams/SWpix.com/Shutterstock

The aftermath of a crash involving Roman Vynnyk (right) and Tristan Drews (seated, left) during the men’s junior road race.

Photograph: Zac Williams/SWpix.com/Shutterstock

Indonesia’s Muhammad Andy Royan is silhouetted on a climb during the men’s under-23 road race, a 173.6km trek.

Photograph: Dario Belingheri/Getty Images

Riders in the men’s under-23 peloton pass by the Grossmünster, a Romanesque-style church in Zurich.

Photograph: Ed Sykes/SWpix.com/Shutterstock

Belgian duo Robin Orins and William Junior Lecerf pass by fans during the men’s under-23 race.

Photograph: Chris Auld/SWpix.com/Shutterstock

The peloton crosses a bridge during the 154.1km women’s elite road race.

Photograph: Dario Belingheri/Getty Images

Lotte Kopecky, Juliette Labous and Anna Henderson jostle for position in the pack.

Photograph: Dario Belingheri/Getty Images

Lotte Kopecky celebrates as she crosses the finish line to win the race in a dramatic finale.

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The men’s elite road race peloton passes through greenery on the 273.9km run from Winterthur to Zurich.

Photograph: Dario Belingheri/Getty Images

A bird’s eye view of riders in the men’s elite road race.

Photograph: Michael Buholzer/EPA

Spectators watch as Simon Geschke, Mattia Cattaneo and Magnus Cort are reflected on a climb.

Photograph: Tim de Waele/Getty Images

Tadej Pogacar is cheered on by fans waving Slovenian flags. He won the race, completing the triple crown of Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and world road title in the same season.

Photograph: Dario Belingheri/Getty Images

A memorial for the 18-year-old Swiss rider, Muriel Furrer, who died after a crash in the women’s junior road race.

Photograph: Michael Buholzer/EPA