The 2024 UCI World Championships kick off on Sunday, September 22, with the time trial in Zurich. All eyes will be on Remco Evenepoel, the defending champion, who is widely considered the man to beat this year. Let's dive into the favorites for the men's and women's events and the course.

The 46.1km course features 413m of climbing before a flat, fast final 15km along the lake and a finish near the Opera House. Weather for Sunday in Zurich is expected to be mild, around 20°C (68°F), with a chance of rain.

Favorites For 2024 Worlds Time Trial

Belgium's Remco Evenepoel is coming off a remarkable season: TT in the Tour de France, double gold at the Paris Olympics, and a year ago, the 2023 Worlds in Glasgow. Evenepoel's ability to combine raw power with strategic brilliance makes him the top favorite for the rainbow jersey. While he faced a few struggles late in the season, he skipped the European Championships to prepare for this final peak, making him the man to watch.

Primož Roglic (Slovenia) is fresh off his Vuelta a España victory and has proven time and time again that he can perform in high-stakes time trials. Though he's no longer considered a pure specialist in this discipline, Roglic's endurance and tactical sharpness could see him challenge Evenepoel, especially if the Belgian falters.

Riding on home soil, Stefan Küng has a strong chance to medal in front of his Swiss fans. After recovering from a crash last year, Küng's 2024 performances have been impressive, including a second-place finish at the European Championships and a stage win at the Vuelta. His knowledge of the course and ability to pace himself through both climbs and flat sections makes him a serious threat.

Brandon McNulty has emerged as a dark horse, having won the opening time trial stage at the Vuelta a España and the U.S. national title. He's steadily improving and could surprise many in Zurich, especially if he can replicate the form he showed earlier in the season.

Other notable contenders include Italy's Filippo Ganna, Norway's Tobias Foss, Belgium's Victor Campenaerts, and Britain's rising star Josh Tarling. Each of these riders brings unique strengths to the race, but they'll need a flawless performance to unseat Evenepoel as top gun.

Women Favorites For Worlds 2024

For the women, the 29.9km course offers a mix of climbs and fast flats, perfect for riders who can handle both.

Chloe Dygert, a two-time world champion in this discipline, is the clear favorite. Despite setbacks at the Paris Olympics, where the American finished with a bronze, Dygert has quickly bounced back. Her sheer power on courses like this makes her a top contender for a third world title.

Belgium's Lotte Kopecky is also a major contender, coming off a European Championship win. Her ability to excel in time trials has only grown, and she'll be aiming for the podium in Zurich.

Who can top Dygert or Kopecky? Australia's Grace Brown, who will be looking to close out her season with a victory after an impressive year. Demi Vollering from the Netherlands is also a strong favorite, as we saw in the Tour de France, along with Juliette Labous (France).

With the world's best riders taking on the challenging Zurich course, the time trial promises intense competition and edge-of-seat action at the 2024 UCI World Championships.