The 2024 UCI Road World Championships in Zürich, Switzerland, showcased the future of cycling. Lorenzo Finn of Italy claimed victory in the Men's Junior road race, with Sebastian Grindley from Great Britain securing the silver medal and Senna Remijn of the Netherlands for the bronze.
The race took place on a challenging and rainy 127.2km course. It demonstrated Lorenzo Finn's exceptional skill and endurance, securing Italy's first rainbow jersey in this category since 2007.
The Junior Men's Road Race featured a demanding route with three laps of a 26.9km city circuit in Zürich. The course was punctuated by two significant climbs: Binz (1.5km at 9.4%) and Witikon (1.4km at 7.2%).
The early stage of the race highlighted numerous attacks from smaller nations, including Azerbaijan, attempting to break away. Defending champion Albert Withen Philipsen of Denmark and his teammates set a strong pace ahead of the three laps of the final city circuit (26.9km). This led to relentless attacks on the hills surrounding Zürich.
As the race progressed, many riders fell off the back of the peloton, unable to keep up with the fierce tempo. Finn went to the front with 60km remaining. Philipsen bridged the gap 35km from the finish, followed by Spain's Héctor Álvarez Martínez and Great Britain's Sebastian Grindley.
The race's pivotal moment came when Lorenzo Finn launched a decisive attack 20km from the finish line. His bold move left his competitors struggling to respond in the wet and challenging conditions. However, after more attacks and changes of position, Lorenzo Finn went on to solo his way to the finish, claiming gold after 127.2km ahead of Grindley (+2'05'').
The battle for third came down to a sprint between Senna Remijn (Netherlands), Paul Fietzke (Germany), and Ashlin Barry (U.S.). Remijn secured the bronze, finishing 3:06 behind Finn.
Héctor Álvarez (Spain), going backwards since being left behind by Lorenzo Finn's winning move, was caught and passed by a small chase group in the closing kilometers, missing out on bronze in the process and finishing 3:44 adrift of Finn. Given the challenging conditions, the champion's winning time over the 127.2km course was an impressive display of endurance and speed.
In the post-race interview, Lorenzo Finn expressed his disbelief at his achievement. He shared, "It still hasn't sunk in, to be honest. It still feels like a dream." The 17-year-old Italian, who is also the reigning Italian junior road race and time trial champion, added, "I felt amazing today. Those are probably the best legs I've ever had."
As the 2024 UCI Road World Championships drew to a close, Igor Makarov, UCI Management Committee member and former professional cyclist who founded the cycling team Katusha, handed over the jerseys and medals to the winners.
Lorenzo Finn's victory at the 2024 UCI Road World Championships marks Italy's 12th success in the Junior Men's Road Race, further cementing the country's status as a powerhouse in developing young cycling talent. This win is particularly significant as it ends a 17-year drought for Italy in this event, potentially heralding a new era of success for Italian cycling at the junior level.
