Why our cycling jewel had to start in the U23

Jan Christen is considered a cycling jewel of the future. The 20-year-old would have preferred to start in the elite category at the home World Championships in Zurich. Now he is in the spotlight as an U23 rider with a (first) medal.

20 years ago, a successful U23 rider was seen as a promise for the future, but today the best in this age category have long since established themselves among the world’s elite. And in all endurance sports, they die: Dario Cologna won the Tour de Ski for the first time as an U23, Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum set the world record in the marathon at the age of 23, and Tadej Pogacar had not yet celebrated his 22nd birthday when he won his first overall victory in the Tour de France. Remco Evenepoel, who won the elite on Sunday and took home two gold medals at the Olympic Games, was also born in the 2000s.

Christen’s tendency to start in the Eilte in Zurich is understandable. The Aargau native, born in 2004, is already a professional on the World Tour. In the summer of 2022, he received a five-year contract with Team UAE Emirates with leader Pogacar. The 2024 debut season at the highest level is going quite well. “Not everyone can boast three daily victories in their first year,” emphasizes Christen. “I am very confident about my progress and looking to the future.”

UAE team decides

Ultimately, Team UAE decided that Christen would compete in the U23 category at the World Championships in Zurich. The team’s primary concern was to ensure equal treatment with teammates Isaac del Toro from Mexico and Antonio Morgado from Portugal, who are also not allowed to compete with the big guys. In addition, Christen would only have competed in the road race in the elite category, and this would probably be in the role of helping out Marc Hirschi.

Christen’s successful junior years have already brought him many titles and medals, including world champion in cyclocross, European champion on the road, world championship runner-up in mountain biking and Swiss champion in the disciplines track, cyclocross, mountain biking and time trial. He now ranks the bronze medal from Zurich in third place. Gold at the junior world championships and the first victory this year in the elite category mean even more to him.

UCI changes U23 format

“I know that, regardless of the results in Zurich, I am one of the best U23 riders in the world. “I no longer need this confirmation,” said Christen in the run-up to the championships. In the future, riders like him will no longer be in a dilemma. The UCI has announced that from 2025, riders with World Tour experience will no longer be allowed to take part in UCI championships in the U23 classes.

In Zurich, this rule would have resulted in a completely different classification on Monday. The winner Ivan Romeo finished 12th in the overall ranking at the Vuelta. Or the favored Belgian Alec Segaert, who collapsed at the end, won the time trial of the Benelux Tour a few weeks ago and finished the World Tour race in second place after five stages.

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