World Championships Live - Lotte Kopecky defends rainbow jersey at elite women's road race

The Dutch now leading down the descent with Bredewold (NED) taking over from Vollering (NED). Kopecky (BEL) comfortably in second wheel and even showed a smile before starting the downhill section. 

Mechanical

Erica Magnaldi (ITA)

Vollering (NED) starts upping the pave on one of these little kickers and she is beginning to string out the bunch. 

Gaia Realini (ITA) struggling to hold onto the back of the peloton with a lot of riders just losing the wheels as the weather continues to worsen. 

Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (FRA) has been distanced out on course. This is her first road race back after a very long time of focusing on mountain biking. 

The team from the Netherlands are continuing to be very active as they look to shape the narrative of this race with various attacks now being followed by more intense pace setting.  

The peloton has been significantly reduced now with the weather playing a massive part as well as the very tough route. 

70km to go

The rain is absolutely hammering it down now as Markus (NED) just ups the tempo once again. This is properly brutal stuff. 

Attack

Riejanne Markus (NED)
Niamh Fisher-Black (NZL)
Liane Lippert (GER)
Justine Ghekiere (BEL)
Elena Hartmann (SUI)
Brodie Chapman (AUS)
Chloe Dygert (USA)

However, it is all back together again! Immediate counter move by Mischa Bredewold (NED) with the same riders following the moves. 

Break caught

The leaders have been dragged back thanks to Pauliena Rooijakkers (NED) but the splits in the peloton sees Puck Pieterse (NED) caught in a split but she does drag it back together yet again. 

Fariba Hashimi (AFG), Usoa Ostolaza (ESP), Teniel Campbell (TTO) and several others also losing contact with the peloton as Rooijakkers (NED) continues to set her brutal tempo. 

Dropped from peloton

Elisa Balsamo (ITA)

The former World champion has lost touch with the bunch. It hasn't quite been her season but not terrible. 

Koch (GER) gets caught by the peloton. 

It is always an odd situation in the Worlds for the Netherlands as they have several leaders. Two rider in the break but they are also chasing the break down. Very odd choices here. 

Rooijakkers (NED) back on the front of the peloton with Vollering (NED) locked on her wheel. Lippert (GER) in third wheel followed by various other big favourites. 

Abandon

Christina Schweinberger (AUT) has stepped off the bike. 

It does appear that Spanish leader, Mavi Garcia, is losing touch on this climb as she struggles with the conditions. 

Žigart (SLO) leading on the Zurichbergstrasse alongside Fisher-Black as the break look to pull out their advantage again with 12" gap. 

Three laps to go

The peloton has dramatically closed on this dangerous group of 11 riders. Just 15" between the two groups. 

Mischa Bredewold (NED) has bridged the gap along with one other rider. The former European champion used the descent to catch Niedermaier (GER) and Bradbury (AUS) and pull them back into the peloton before launching across the gap herself. 

90km to go

Leaders:

Ottestad (NOR)
Markus (NED)
Gigante (AUS)
Ghekiere (BEL)
Paladin (ITA)
Hartmann (SUI)
Majerus (LUX)
Žigart (SLO)
Fisher-Black (NZL)
Koch (GER)

In the gap there is Niedermaier (GER) and Bradbury (AUS) ahead of the peloton who are hot on their heals. 

More riders are trying to bridge with Antonia Niedermaier (GER) and Neve Bradbury (AUS) just off the front of the pack with 16" to bridge. 

Poland are one of the big teams to have missed this move and are now working for their leader and Tour de France Femmes winner, Kasia Niewiadoma. 

Yet more attacks coming behind in the peloton as a few key teams have missed this move that could be telling for the final outcome today in Zurich. 

Christine Majerus (LUX) and Teniel Campbell (TTO) get across the gap alongside Soraya Paladin (ITA) but the break only have around 10" gap. 

More riders now trying to bridge this very small gap with Teniel Campbell (TTO) and Soraya Paladin (ITA) try to get across. 

100km to go

Leaders:

Fisher-Black (NZL)
Hartmann (SUI)
Markus (NED)
Ghekiere (BEL)
Ottestad (NOR)

Also, two chasers:

Gigante (AUS)
Žigart (SLO)

Attack

Niamh Fisher-Black (NZL)

The SD Worx-Protime rider launches with Riejanne Markus (NED) and five others following. 

Break caught

The race is all back together but immediately a new attack comes from Sarah Gigante (AUS) and the Tour Down Under winner is quickly dragged back. 

Attack from peloton

Thalita De Jong (NED)
Lore De Schepper (BEL)
Alice Maria Arzuffi (ITA)
Sarah Gigante (AUS)

They join Martin (ESP) and Berton (LUX) at the front with Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (RSA) dragging back together with her trying to bridge but she just achieved dragging the rest across with her. 

Martin (ESP) makes it back to Berton (LUX) with new attacks coming across!

Caught

Baur (SUI)

The Swiss rider has been swallowed up by the peloton on the first ascent of the Zurichbergstrasse. 

Dropped from break

Caroline Baur (SUI)
Sara Martin (ESP)

The Swiss rider is unable to follow her breakaway companions on the steepest gradients. Martin (ESP) also losing touch with Berton (LUX) who is pushing on solo at her own tempo. 

105km to go

Onto the climb on the circuit for the first time, the Zurichbergstrasse which has gradients kicking up to over 17%. Sweden are the team taking it up on the front, interestingly. 

Confirmed gap at +33" between the three-woman break and the chasing peloton as they now launch into the full laps around Zurich. 

The foreshortening of the camera makes the gap between the break and the peloton look very small but it is still being said to be about 30".  

The break go under the flamme rouge for the first time as they head to the finish line. They cross the line five times today. 

Attack/110km to go

Riejanne Markus (NED) 

She is followed by several riders such as Justine Ghekiere (BEL) and Teniel Campbell (TTO) but it is all back together. 31" up to the break, now. 

The peloton now split to bits. I believe there was a crash but it was very difficult to see as the camera was with Eric (SRB) who has just been caught. 

Attack in peloton

Jelena Eric (SRB)

The rider who races for Movistar normally tries a little dig to get ahead before the descent and first passage of the finish line. 

The pace immediately drops over the top of that small kick and the peloton regroup as Kopecky (BEL) was very well marked by Niewiadoma (POL), Ferrand-Prevot (FRA) and the other big favourites. 

Attack!

Lotte Kopecky (BEL)

The defending champion is using a small kicker before this very technical descent and ignites this race. 

120km to go

The gap did drop to 29" but does appear to be eking back out for the breakaway as the climb has been taken on. 

The breakaway just hold a gap of 49" on the peloton now. 

The Dutch come to the front with Pauliena Rooijakkers working for her many leaders in the Netherlands squad. 

Malcotti (ITA) comes to the front to start pacing for Elisa Longo-Borghini (ITA). Very solid climber for a day like today. 

Crash

Several riders down with Djazilla Umwamikazi (RWA) being one of the riders down and Hannah Ludwig (GER). Everyone back on their feet with the two mentioned needing mechanical help. 

Onto the Maur Wall, the first climb of the day. 18.9% gradient and the beginning of the race proper. 

Caught

Tiffany Keep (RSA)

130km to go

With the break having 1'49" on the peloton. Keep (RSA) in the gap but just ahead of the peloton. 

Crash

Not quite able to see who it was but they were very close to the front of the bunch. They are quickly back on their feet and on the bike again. 

Attack

As soon as I said the attacking stopped, one goes again from South Africa and Tiffany Keep who rides for UK based team DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK who won the British Cycling National Road Series team classification this year. 

The breakaway have a gap of 1'18" over the peloton, now. The counter moves have stopped in the bunch and it is settling down. 

The leading trio have 38" on the peloton. Berton (LUX), Baur (SUI) and Martín (ESP) in the leading group. 

Interestingly, it is Ireland who were leading the peloton. Now several other teams move up including team GB with Elinor Barker. Elisa Balsamo (ITA) looking to be marking moves as well. 

So many attacks going out of the peloton as they see the three riders ride away early on. This is their opportunity to force a break and, perhaps, give themselves a chance to get a big result. 

Crash

Yulduz Hashimi (AFG)

A heavy fall for the rider from Afghanistan. She seems to be in a bit of pain after that but is back on her feet. 

Attack in peloton

Heidi Franz (USA)

Several riders follow. 

There are, of course, two titles available today. The elite title as well as the under 23 title. So very much two races in one, which makes tactics rather tricky. 

Attack

Nina Berton (LUX)
Sara Martín (ESP)
Caroline Baur (SUI)

The Swiss rider jumping for the second time and, this time, seems successful in forming the break. 

Dropped

Emmanuella Rukundo (BDI)

Unfortunately, the 20-year-old rider from Burundi loses touch. 

Attack

Caroline Baur (SUI)

The host nation launching the first move of the day but it is well marked and isn't really getting much of a gap. 

No early moves as the riders jostle for position to keep their leaders safe. 

154.1km to go

The flag is waved and racing begins!

The riders have started the short neutral zone. 

Very emotional scenes before the start with some riders finding it all a bit much. A very difficult moment for all the riders as they set off on the same course in the same conditions. 

The riders are lined up ready to go. All of them are wrapped up in their water proofs. They will be holding a moment of silence before they set off in a few minutes time. 

One rider who was due to start but is now not is Israeli rider, Rotem Gafinovitz. That leaves just one rider from Israel with Adar Shriki. 

Throughout the racing so far at these championships, the racing has been extremely tough and a war of attrition with riders coming to the line in very small groups, pairs or solo riders in rather inclement weather. 

The weather is, yet again, poor. Just 12 degrees centigrade and rain all day. The rain may ease and even stop but the showers are expected all day.  

Lotte Kopecky (BEL) comes into this as one of, if not the, favourite. However, after a disappointing time trial by her standards, there may be some doubts as she battles against Demi Vollering (NED), Marianne Vos (NED), Elisa Longo-Borghini (ITA), Kasia Niewiadoma (POL) and more... Not to mention the return to road cycling for Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (FRA).

>>> UCI Road World Championships 2024 - Elite-U23 women's road race contenders 

Today's women elite road race is set to begin at 12:47 local time and will consist of 154.1km of racing taking on one lap of the Greifensee lake before heading to the city laps around Zurich which will be tackled four times with 2,384 metres of elevation.

Today there will be a lot of focus on the racing. However, plenty of focus will be on the two riders who passed away yesterday. Muriel Furrer and Bas van Belle. 

Furrer died after a very heavy crash in the women's junior road race two days ago. Van Belle died unexpectedly.

It is expected that there will be a moment of silence before the start of the remaining races as well as muted podium celebrations. 

To read more, click the link below...

>>> Swiss rider Muriel Furrer dies after World Championship crash 

>>> Races go on but UCI World Championships in mourning after death of Muriel Furrer 

>>> UCI unable to provide information on Muriel Furrer's fatal World Championships crash due to police investigation 

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the elite and under-23 women's road race at the Road World Championships in Zurich!