Söderqvist Ready to Take On the Elite – Wetterhall Previews European Championship Time Trial Course

There’s no time to rest for Jakob Söderqvist as he prepares to test himself against the senior elite field for the first time in an international time trial championship. Fresh off his U23 World Championship gold in Rwanda just weeks ago, and with European and World silver medals from last season, Söderqvist is now stepping up to see how he measures against the world’s very best.

Just like at the World Championships, junior rider Vilgot Reinhold and U23 cyclist Stina Kagevi will also compete in both disciplines at the European Championships. All three will take on the same 24-kilometer course in France.

A Fast but Demanding Course

National team coach Alexander Wetterhall shared his impressions after a course reconnaissance ahead of Wednesday’s race.

“It’s a fairly ‘rolling’ course with many open sections, but there are two significant climbs,” says Wetterhall. “The first comes after twelve kilometers as you enter the village of Allex. Then there’s the final climb, which looked really tough on the course profile, but when we rode it today, it didn’t feel as bad.”

That final climb arrives just 1.2 km from the finish, stretching 1.1 km with an average gradient of 4.4% and pitches up to 8%.

“It’s not too much in itself, but because it comes right at the end, it’s important to save some energy for it,” Wetterhall explains.

The time trial runs between Loriol-sur-Drôme and Étoile-sur-Rhône, covering 214 meters of elevation gain. With headwinds expected across the open sections, riders will need to carry momentum from the descents to maintain a high average speed.

“It’s going to be a challenge to execute this well,” Wetterhall adds. “All three riders are very motivated. They’ve had a quick turnaround from Kigali, but so have most of their competitors.”

Fierce Competition Ahead

When asked about the top contenders and Söderqvist’s chances, Wetterhall highlighted some big names:

“Apart from Remco Evenepoel – the Belgian world champion for the past three years and reigning Olympic time trial champion – Filippo Ganna is also a major favorite. He skipped the World Championships to focus entirely on this race. But Jakob has a real chance of fighting for a medal.”

The European Championship time trial promises an exciting battle, and for Jakob Söderqvist, it’s a crucial step in testing himself against cycling’s elite. With teammates Stina Kagevi and Vilgot Reinhold also looking strong, Sweden is ready to make its mark when the riders roll down the start ramp on Wednesday, October 1.