Belgium: Lotte Kopecky (27)
After finishing second and winning the green jersey in the Tour de France Femmes, Lotte Kopecky flew from Bordeaux straight to Glasgow. The 27-year-old Belgian is combining track and road at this super World championships. On Sunday, she was immediately successful and extended her world title in the elimination. Her programme still includes the points race, the omnium and the road race. The world road title is her big goal. After her second place last year at the World Championships in Wollongong, she is now the favourite for the rainbow jersey. In preparation for this World Cup, she rode races with the men's juniors, to better digest the many twists and turns on the local circuit in Glasgow. She hopes to exploit her explosiveness from the track.
Great Britain: Anna Shackley (22)
For no one is this more of a home race than for Anna Shackley. The 22-year-old Scot was born in Milgnovie, a suburb of Glasgow. Her training roads are this time the setting for the biggest one-day race in the world, where she has a chance of winning the U23 world title. "To ride a World championships in our own city is going to be super special. It's a tough course, it's like a big criterium where it will be continuous acceleration. For me, Lotte Kopecky and Lorena Wiebes are the top favourites for the world title." Shackley will ride the mixed relay on Tuesday and the road race on Sunday.
Italy: Elena Cecchini (31)
Elena Cecchini is riding her twelfth world championship for Italy. Cecchini is considered a road captain at Team SD Worx and also fulfils that role with verve with Italy. She will be in action on the road race and will try to help Elisa Balsamo or Silvia Persico to the world title. She is strong at positioning and that could help the Italian team on the circuit in Glasgow.
Italy: Barbara Guarischi (32) (?)
Barbara Guarischi will travel to Glasgow for the road race. The Italian selection still has one name too many and so someone will be designated as a reserve. Consequently, it is not yet clear whether Guarischi will be in action in Scotland.
The Netherlands - Mischa Bredewold (23)
Mischa Bredewold is riding a strong first year with Team SD Worx. She was an important part of the team that took the Tour win this year. For that, she is rewarded with a first selection at the World Championships on the road for elites with the Netherlands. In a serving role, she will try to assist the leading women to have a shot at the world title with the Netherlands.
The Netherlands - Demi Vollering (26)
Another top favourite for the world title. Demi Vollering overwhelmingly won the Tour de France Femmes and, after the yellow jersey, she will go for a jersey with rainbow stripes. The time trial and the road race are on her programme. Last year, she was already a contender for the world title race in Wollongong, Australia, but missed that World Championships because she contracted a Covid infection on the spot. After the Tour, she first enjoyed a few days off with her family before setting her sights on Glasgow. On Monday, she travelled and joined the Dutch selection. In both the time trial and the road race, she is among the contenders for the world title.
The Netherlands - Lorena Wiebes (24)
Lorena Wiebes has also made the World Championships one of her main goals. The European champion will ride the mixed relay and the road race. Wiebes proved to have made strides in 2023 and has become a more complete rider. In Glasgow, she would like to trade her European jersey for that of the world champion. She already finds a course where she can unleash her explosiveness. No lack of motivation, after she had to leave the Tour de France Femmes early with stomach problems.
Switzerland: Marlen Reusser (31)
In the absence of the pregnant reigning world champion Ellen van Dijk, Marlen Reusser is considered the top favourite for the time trial world title. She faces competition from a reborn Chloe Dygert (United States) and Demi Vollering (Netherlands). The Swiss won two time trials at WorldTour level in 2023 ahead of her teammate Demi Vollering. In the last three World Championships, she was invariably on the podium. 2023 could be the year she grabs the rainbow jersey individually for the first time. Last year, she already became world champion in the mixed relay with Switzerland. She hopes to successfully defend that title on Tuesday. On Sunday, she concludes her World Championships with the road race.
New Zealand: Niamh Fisher-Black (22)
Niamh Fisher-Black will be in action for the first time after her performance at the Giro Donne. The New Zealand rider became the first ever U23 World Champion in Wollongong. However, the New Zealander is just short of defending her title as she turns 23 a day before the road race. She hopes to give herself a nice birthday present with a good performance in the streets of Glasgow.
Hungary: Blanka Vas (21)
Blanka Vas is a multi-talent. Back in 2021, she finished fourth at the Olympic mountain bike competition and later that year also fourth at the elite World Road Championships in Leuven. In 2023, she confirmed her status as a talented road rider by taking two WorldTour victories in the Tour de Suisse and the Giro Donne. The 21-year-old Hungarian will compete in the mountain bike cross country U23 in Glasgow on Friday, hoping to qualify for the Olympic Games in Paris. On Sunday, she will ride the road race, where she will also qualify for the U23 world title. She will find a course that is fast and explosive in both disciplines.
Luxembourg: Christine Majerus (36)
Christine Majerus has the assistance of the two talented Luxembourg riders Marie Schreiber and Nina Berton in the Luxembourg selection. Majerus rode a strong stage race in service at the last Tour de France Femmes and is now hoping for a great result herself in the road race in Glasgow. She also trained with the men's juniors in Luxembourg on twisty circuits to better digest the many braking and accelerating of the World Cup course in Glasgow.
Luxembourg: Marie Schreiber (20)
Marie Schreiber is riding her first road world championships. The young Luxembourg rider will mainly gain experience at the highest level. She also rides a race in the road race as U23.