Neilson Powless has said that strength in depth will be the key to preventing Tadej Pogačar from winning the elite men’s road race at the World Championships on Sunday.
After a resounding win at the recent GP Montréal, Pogačar is the overwhelming favourite to take the rainbow jersey this weekend in Switzerland. Alongside the Slovenian Giro-Tour double winner, Remco Evenepoel and defending champion Mathieu van der Poel are expected to challenge for the podium in Zurich.
Speaking earlier this month, Powless said he believes that the US can impact proceedings and challenge for the medal positions. Much of the pre-race narrative has suggested that it is inevitable Pogačar will win the rainbow jersey, although Powless thinks he can be beaten.
“The only way I think you can really beat him in the final is with numbers and forcing him to chase,” Powless told Cycling Weekly. “Or you just use a moment of hesitation. You’re not going to be able to break his legs, so you just have to use any good moment you get.
“It’s definitely really tricky, but hopefully we can use our guys to pull a gap out somewhere if one appears.”
Alongside Powless, Matteo Jorgenson, Brandon McNulty, Sean Quinn, Kevin Vermaerke, Riley Sheehan, Magnus Sheffield and Quinn Simmons are set to line up for the US in Zurich.
Due to a knee issue which has largely disrupted his season, Powless said that he is determined to end on a high before looking to the new year and fresh targets now that his tendonitis problem is under control.
Powless of EF Education-EasyPost finished sixth at the recent Clásica San Sebastián before recording an eighth placed finish in Québec and 23rd in Montréal.
“I feel like having sat out most of the spring I’ve got a lot of mental pent up energy for next year,” he said. “I’ve been really racking my brain about how to get to the next level physically so that I can create more opportunities for myself.
“I think it will start just with dialling in the camps a bit more, maybe adding in one or two more altitude camps in the season, and then maybe a little more heat training as I think that’s definitely something that can be used.”
He added: “I just keep tracking out how to make improvements as like we’re seeing, the whole peloton is just getting faster every year. But you just have to keep up with that pace. If you fall behind then you start to feel it.”
