Alexandre Balmer tried it all in the U23 road race at the World Road Championships in Wollongong. But the 22-year-old from Neuchâtel had to settle for 15th place.
The podium seemed within reach of the versatile Alexandre Balmer when he went against less than 10 km from the finish on the final ascent of Mount Pleasant. However, he was unable to make the connection with the two leading men, and then could not do anything in the sprint for the bronze medal.
“It’s frustrating, because I missed 10 meters for a medal“, explained the Chaux-de-Fonnier. “I was sure we were all coming back when I looked back, so I didn’t give it my all to pick it up. I didn’t understand why they didn’t ride at that moment in the peloton“, he continued.
The first peloton failed in the end, 3” behind the new world champion, the impressive Kazakh Yevgeniy Fedorov, who easily dominated his breakaway companion Mathias Vacek in the sprint.
No junior medal
The Swiss did not sign any exploits either in the road race for juniors (under 18). Best Helvetian, Jan Christen was ranked 12th in a race won by the German Emil Herzog. He conceded 55” to the world champion.
ats/btro
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