The teams set off from the Sechseläutenplatz on the shores of Lake Zurich. The men go first, then the women. In doing so, the riders get a first taste of the route of the circuit that’s going to be decisive in Saturday’s and Sunday’s road races, as the mixed relay is played out on the exact same roads.
After some twisting and turning on flat roads in the city centre, the Zürichbergstrasse is responsible for the first vertical metres. The 800 metres ramp appears after 2 kilometres, while the average gradient sits at 8.6%. The Zürichbergstrasse peaks out at a gruelling 15.9% in its latter section before a virtually flat section of 1.5 kilometres leads onto a false flat preceding the next challenge. The hardest part of the ascent on the Witikonerstrasse stretches 1 kilometre with an average gradient of 8%, but as it begins and ends with a false flat one could also argue that it’s a 4.1 kilometres climb at 3.8%.
The riders stay at a rolling plateau at an elevation hovering between 600 and 650 metres. A number of small uphill punches pep up this section, most notably the Schmalzgruebstrasse adds 300 metres at 8% to the mix. Right after this kick the riders fly down to Küsnacht and continue on a 1.5 kilometres false flat before continuing downhill to Lake Zurich. Along the flat shores the teams race back to the Sechseläutenplatz in Zürich.
Other interesting reads: results and teams/riders 2024 World Cycling Championships, mixed relay.
World Cycling Championships 2024, Mixed Relay – Zürich, Switzerland: route & profile
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