The Slovak becomes the third different Soudal Quick-Step rider to get a medal in Switzerland.
Martin Svrcek upgraded last year’s bronze in Glasgow, finishing runner-up after a gruelling day of racing around Zurich as he became the first Slovak rider in history to win multiple medals at the U23 World Championships.
Soudal Quick-Step’s 21-year-old – victorious this season in Gullegem Koerse and silver medalist at the National Championships – was one of the strongest riders out there, riding a smart race in harsh weather conditions, which together with the demanding up-and-down 173.6km course whittled down the peloton long before the final lap, thus turning Friday’s event into a race of attrition.
Around 20 kilometers from the finish, it looked like the winner would be Jan Christen, who was enjoying a solid 40-second advantage over a small group containing both William Junior Lecerf and Martin Svrcek, but the Slovak put the hammer down on the last climb and pulled clear together with Germany’s Niklas Behrens, catching the Swiss with nine kilometers to go. The duo then opened a comfortable gap over the chasers and arrived together inside the closing kilometer, where Martin put in a strong sprint to take silver.
“The race was hard and I suffered in the first two hours. But I raced in a smart way, I didn’t go over the limit and made sure of keeping enough energy for the final laps. I attacked with around ten kilometers left and the two of us went clear and worked well together until the finish. I am of course disappointed I didn’t win, but at the same time, I am satisfied with being on the podium again after such a brutal race because I know that I did everything and gave my best today”, Martin said.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele / Getty Images
