Mixed Relay, Mixed Team Experience, Team Relay… One of the newest components in cycling is still looking for recognition, but it’s not that easy. Two years later, the European mixed relay is still a snack on the full programme, including the individual time trial and road race. But there is still “only” gold, silver and bronze that can be won. Can the Netherlands regain the European title from 2019? cycling flash Looking forward.
date
We haven’t known the mixed relay in cycling for a very long time. After many years of team time trials for brand teams that were part of the World Cycling Championships, the UCI created a mixed relay team time trial. A scheme that was taken over by the European Cycling Union (UEC) in 2019 and included for the first time in the European Cycling Championship program in Alkmaar.
The rules in a nutshell? National teams start with three men and three women, as national coaches can choose both the Promises and the Pros. Men and women start separately from each other, but ride the same path. First the three men leave. Once the second man crosses the start and finish line, the three women may start. The time of the second woman at the end is considered the time of the end.
Dutch women at the first European mixed relay championships in Alkmaar – Photo: Kor Vos
With the new event, the UCI aims to promote gender neutrality in cycling and athletes, in order to incorporate a modern and dynamic format. It’s a development we’re seeing on a larger scale. As it happened during the last Olympics, the program had more mixed events than ever. They were jokingly called “korfball games” in a prominent Belgian newspaper.
The first mixed relay championship in cycling was held at the 2019 European Championships in Alkmaar. Only eight countries sent a team to Zaanstrek, where home favorites Holland turned out to be the best after a 44.8km race. Not so long later, the Netherlands also took its first world title in this all-new segment.
EC . Mixed Relay Final Winners
2020: 
Germany
2019: 
Holland
last year
The European Mixed Relay Championship has yet to gain popularity and the fall of 2020 has not helped make the discipline even more popular. Only six countries were moving. The big absentee was the defending champion Holland. Belgium was there, but saw the medal chances rise in smoke after Ron Hergodts crashed into a wet cliff. Because Laurens De Plus has already been released, the Belgians lost a lot of time.
The battle for the eventual European Gold Championship was between Switzerland and Germany. The Swiss set the first target. Germany and France were allowed to dream of gold when changing men and women, but the French women lost a lot of time. Germany finally made the difference in the last round. Despite the punctured tires, Lisa Klein and Mick Kreuger took care of the gold. Switzerland took the silver and Italy the bronze.
Photo: Color Vos
EC Mixed Relay Result 2020
Germany in 1 hour 14 minutes 14 seconds
Switzerland in 25 seconds
Italy at 2m35s
4. 
France in 2 minutes 49 seconds
5. 
Belgium at 4m07s
6. 
Ukraine in 4m31s
a trip
The organization of the European Cycling Championships in Trentino drew the same course for all trials over time. Young women ride 22.4 kilometers, as do elite men. Countries also use this route during the Mixed Relay Team Time trial. Start at Corso del Lavoro e della Scienza Muse and end near Piazza Donne Lavoratrici in Trento.
The riders will complete the Circuit South of Trento, the capital of the Trentino Autonomous Region of South Tyrol in northern Italy. On that lap small places like Ravenna and Romanano are traversed. At Aldeno is the turning point nearly ten kilometers away, followed shortly thereafter by the only intermediate point on the road. Officially this is 10.6 kilometers away. All this still takes place on the western side of the Adige, the longest river in Italy after the Po River.
Fourteen kilometers later, the riders will cross the water to head north again via Mattarello to Trento. This, just as in the first half of the tour, happens on long straight roads where speed can go up dramatically. After twenty kilometers, the track returns to the city, after which the last two kilometers are completely technical.
There are hardly any height gauges along the way. At more than 22 kilometers, it reaches “only” 172 altimeters, which means that the speed will be high. The organization’s schedules expect an average speed of between 49 km/h and 53 km/h for male teams, which would be fine for 25 to 27 minutes for a tour.
By the way, the participating countries walk in two blocs so as not to get in the way of each other. The first country from the first block leaves at 2.30 pm. The second block will start at 3:30 PM. This means that we know in just under an hour which country will receive the European title of mixed relay.
Wednesday 8 September 2021: Trent – Trent (44.8 km)
Started: 2.30 pm (first country)
finish: about 4.25 pm (last country)
Favorite
At the time of publication, the final start lists were not yet known. However, the regulator UEC has published the registration lists and based on that we are looking at the favorites. States were allowed to register five men and five women, with three men and three women eventually starting on Wednesday. What is clear is that this year nine countries will take part in the time trial of the European mixed relay team. This is three times more than last year.
The Netherlands team in the World Cup that won the gold medal in 2019 – Photo: Kur Vos
Holland It is one of the top countries at the start of this European Mixed Relay Championship. The orange team consists of Quinn Bowman, Jos van Emden, Buck Mollema, Florje McCaig, Amy Peters and Demi Fullering. In roughly the same composition, the Netherlands became the world champion in this segment in 2019. At that time, Lucinda Brand and Ryan Marcus filled the McKeig and Fullering places. So the majority of select have experience with the mixed migration part.
Baumann and van Emden have the necessary racing kilometers in their legs. The first will make his debut at Trentino in good spirits. He celebrated teammate Primo Roglic’s overall victory at the Vuelta a España last Sunday. Van Emden rode the Benelux Tour and finished 11th race in the individual time trial. For Mollema, it will be his first race since the Classic San Sebastian. Groninger will also lead the road race for the European Championship on Sunday. McCaig finished the Volta race in eighth place last Sunday, while Peters and Fullering rode the Semac Women’s Tour at the end of August.
Filippo Gana – Photo: Cor Vos
Davide Cassani will be bid farewell as national coach after this season, but he still has a choice Italy composed for this European Championship. The experimental cannon, of course, in the person of Filippo Gana could not be missed. The world champion in trials has to take on Alessandro De Marchi and Matteo Sobrero. Although Sobrero is making a solid development this year. He finished fourth in the last test of the Giro and surprised in June with the Italian test title, ahead of Edoardo Affini, Mattia Cattaneo and… Ganna.
Among the women, Cassani can choose from Elena Cecchini, Elisa Longo Borghini, Marta Cavalli, Sofia Bertizzolo and Vittoria Bossi. The title of the Italian time trial is in the hands of Lungo Borghini. In that tournament, Cecchini finished fourth, Bertizzolo fifth and Bussi sixth. Cavalli, in turn, finished fourth in the latest Keratizet Challenge and sixth at Giro Don earlier this year. So it can also drive fast. With Ganna among men and a strong and wide selection among women, Italy is one of the top candidates.
Benjamin Thomas – Photo: Color Vos
six of France He has a few strong riders. In the men’s race, Bruno Armirael, Alexis Jugerd and Benjamin Thomas participate. And two-time National Trial champion Thomas, who made his mark on the track, will be the big bike. Coralie Demay, Eugenie Duvall, and Gladys Verhulst are the women leaving on behalf of glaucoma. Demay finished fourth in the last test championship, while Verhulst has been racing races back home in recent months. She recently finished second in the GP de Plouay on the Women’s World Tour.
Germany He defends the title last year, but he will have to do everything in his power to make it happen. We know Germany as a country for speed riders and a box of strong riders has also been opened in this European Championship. Among the guys, WorldTour riders Jannik Steimle and Max Walscheid seem to be the important setters. Justin Wolf (Bike Aid), Maurice Ballerstedt and Michel Hessmann (both Jumbo-Visma Development) can ride a bit against the clock.
The German national team entered four jockeys in the women’s race. Lisa Brenauer and Lisa Klein are missing. Mickey Krueger will be in attendance and will be accompanied by Lady in Fitness Leanne Lippert. The team will be completed by Corinna Lechner or Tanya Erath. However, the women’s trio will not be the team that will make the difference for Germany, as it was at Bloway last year.
Tadej Pogačar – Photo: Cor Vos
six of Slovenia Already known and the name Tadej Pogačar immediately stands out. The Tour de France winner will start with compatriot Nick Simazar, 22, and Anze Skok, 20, who plays for Ljubljana Justo Santic. What makes Pogačar especially special is that he teams up with his girlfriend Urska Zigart, who usually races for the BikeExchange. She will try to take a shot at a place of honor with Eugenia Bojak and Urska Pintar. The question is how well Bogar can put his country in good standing.
In the Austria team we miss the name of the Olympic champion Anna Kissenhofer. The Alpine country will have to rely mainly on men’s Felix Gall and Marco Haller, but Austria appears unable to compete for the medals. Poland is also coming into this mixed European succession without big names. Neither Misha Kwiatkowski, nor Ravi Majka, nor Maciej Batyrski, nor Kasia Nivyadoma.
Russia Pavel Sivakov was signed, among others. He has just come from Vuelta and has to take the Russian train by hand. And Artem Nich, Artem Ovechkin and Dmitriy Strakhov are also on the list. Women are also not overtaken by toppers. We don’t expect much from Ukraine either. Androni-pro Andrii Ponomar was introduced, as were experienced riders such as Mykhaylo Kononenko and Oleksandr Golovash. Valeria Kononenko will lead the women’s team.
Favorites according to WielerFlits
*** Italy
** Netherlands and Germany
* France, Slovenia, Russia
Site organization
List of Participants (UEC Registration List)
Weather and TV
The weather will be great for racing in Trentino and surrounding areas on Wednesday. In the afternoon, the temperature rises to 25 to 28 degrees Celsius. The sun rises, although it sometimes hides behind a cloud. Winds of magnitude 2 come mainly from a southerly direction. This means that in the first part of the time trial there will be headwinds for the teams. On the way back, there’s a tailwind again.
The European Mixed Relay Championships can be watched in full on Wednesday at sporza on one and through Eurosport 1. VRT Belgium starts live at 2.20pm, while Eurosport kicks off at 2.30pm. From that moment on, the mixed team time trial can also be viewed on the player online.
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