Cycling: Marc Hirschi made the leap back to the top of the world in 2023. The Swiss not only impressed as a strong helper for his captains, but was also successful himself.
Marc Hirschi celebrates 6 wins this season
Twelfth in the UCI rankings and ninth in the PCS rankings Marc Hirschi reported back to the top of the world in the 2023 season. The Swiss won seven cycling races, including the tours of Hungary and Luxembourg, as well as the Italian Coppa Sabatini one-day race. What is impressive is not just the number of his victories, but also his top placings. In total, he managed to finish in the top ten 2023 times in 28, including 13 podium finishes. Marc Hirschi has proven that he can be used as a winning driver again - and that his team will see him that way. At the same time, he impressed as a helper for Adam Yates and Juan Ayuso on week-long tours and even for Tadej Pogacar in one-day races. However, the Swiss was not used in a Grand Tour - something that will probably change in 2024.
The most difficult time is in the past
In 2020, Marc Hirschi's star rose. He won a stage at the Tour de France. In the jersey of the then German team DSM, the Swiss knew how to impress on hilly sections. At the end of the year he even won the Flèche Wallonne. He rose to become one of the most sought-after professionals in the peloton. Finally, the UAE Team Emirates secured the services of the now 25-year-old. But then Hirschi slipped into a crisis. In 2021 he only won a single race. His hip problems kept occurring. So he ended up having to have an operation. And the way back wasn't easy. In 2022 he was at the top of the podium four times again, but overall his performances continued to fluctuate. Now he seems to have found his way back to the top of the world. But the Swiss is still waiting for another WorldTour success – and has been for over three years now.