Marc Hirschi (born 24 August 1998) is a Swiss cyclist, who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam UAE Team Emirates XRG.[3] Hirschi is known for his skills as a puncheur and one-day specialist, with wins in the hilly classics Clásica de San Sebastián and La Flèche Wallonne. He is also a Swiss national champion in the road race.

Marc Hirschi
Hirschi in 2018
Personal information
Full nameMarc Hirschi
Born (1998-08-24) 24 August 1998 (age 26)
Ittigen, Switzerland
Height1.74 m (5 ft 8 12 in)
Weight61 kg (134 lb; 9 st 8 lb)
Team information
Current teamUAE Team Emirates XRG
DisciplineRoad
RoleRider
Rider typePuncheur
Amateur team
2017BMC Development Team
Professional teams
2018Development Team Sunweb
2019–2021Team Sunweb[1][2]
2021–UAE Team Emirates
Major wins
Grand Tours
Tour de France
1 individual stage (2020)
Combativity award (2020)

Stage races

Tour de Hongrie (2023)
Tour de Luxembourg (2023)

One-day races and Classics

National Road Race Championships (2023)
Bretagne Classic (2024)
Clásica de San Sebastián (2024)
La Flèche Wallonne (2020)
Coppa Sabatini (2023, 2024)
GP Industria & Artigianato (2024)
La Drôme Classic (2024)
Medal record
Representing  Switzerland
Men's road bicycle racing
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2018 Innsbruck Under-23 road race
Bronze medal – third place 2020 Imola Elite road race
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 2018 Brno Under-23 road race
Silver medal – second place 2016 Plumelec Junior time trial
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Herning Under-23 road race
Men's track cycling
Junior World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2016 Aigle Madison

Career

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Early Career

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Hirschi began competing in cycling at the age of 11, inspired both by his father's passion for the sport and by the success of Fabian Cancellara, who hails from the same region as Hirschi. He initially competed in mountain biking, before also practicing road, track and cyclo-cross as a teenager.[4] He was a two-time national junior road race champion, winning in 2015 and 2016. In 2017, he was recruited by the BMC Development Team for his first season in the under-23 category, joining Development Team Sunweb the year after.

In September 2018 it was announced that he would join Team Sunweb from 2019 on a three-year contract, having been a member of Development Team Sunweb in 2018.[5][6] In the same month, Hirschi won the under-23 road race at the UCI Road World Championships in Innsbruck, Austria.[7]

Team Sunweb (2019-2021)

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During his first professional season in 2019, Hirschi finished third in the Clásica de San Sebastián.

In 2020, Hirschi had a breakout year: after starting the Tour de France for the first time,[8] he won a stage, three combative rider awards for his performances on individual stages and the overall Combativity award.[9] One week after the end of the Tour, he took the bronze medal in the Men's road race at the Road World Championships in Imola.[10] Three days later Hirschi took the win at La Flèche Wallonne, pulling away from the rest of the lead group in the last 50 metres of the final climb of the Mur de Huy. He was the first Swiss rider to win the race since Ferdinand Kübler in 1952.[11][12] Several days later, he also finished second to Primož Roglič at Liège–Bastogne–Liège.

In January 2021, Hirschi's contract with Team DSM was abruptly terminated, leaving Hirschi as a free agent.[13] No comment was given by Hirschi or Team DSM, other than that the contract was ended with mutual consent.[14] Days later, Hirschi signed a three-year contract with UAE Team Emirates.[3]

UAE Team Emirates (2021-present)

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In his first season with the team, Hirschi took only one victory: stage two of the Tour de Luxembourg, going on to finish second overall.[15]

He opened the 2022 season in late March with a win at the Per sempre Alfredo race in Italy. In June, he won the Grosser Preis des Kantons Aargau. The following month, he was selected for the Tour de France only two days before the start of race after Matteo Trentin was forced to withdraw after testing positive for SARS-CoV-2.[16] Hirschi took two more wins in Italy towards the end of the season at the Giro della Toscana and the Veneto Classic.

Hirschi started 2023 in Australia, finishing eighth in the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.[17] In February, he crashed on the first stage of the Volta ao Algarve, fracturing a radius. He returned to competition at the end of March. In May, he finished fourth at Eschborn–Frankfurt, before winning stage three of the Tour de Hongrie, taking the race lead in the process.[18] Hirschi was able to hold on to the race lead for the remainder of the race, marking his first stage race victory. In June, he became the Swiss National Road Race Champion for the first time.[19] In September, he won the Coppa Sabatini and the Tour de Luxembourg, both events on the UCI ProSeries calendar.[20]

In February 2024, he won the La Drôme Classic, his fourth race of the season, after a late attack.[21] In April, he placed second to Tom Pidcock at the Amstel Gold Race. In August, Hirschi beat Julian Alaphillipe in a two-up sprint to win the Clásica de San Sebastián.[22] This started a run of five-straight one-day victories for Hirschi, as he won 2024 Bretagne Classic Ouest-France, GP Industria & Artigianato di Larciano, Coppa Sabatini, and Memorial Marco Pantani.[23] Hirschi ended the season with nine professional wins, his most in a single season.

Major results

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Road

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2014
3rd Road race, National Junior Championships
2015
National Junior Championships
1st   Road race
3rd Time trial
1st   Overall Grand Prix Rüebliland
1st   Young rider classification
1st Stage 1
1st   Overall GP Général Patton
5th Trofeo Emilio Paganessi
UEC European Junior Championships
5th Road race
7th Time trial
8th Overall Oberösterreich Juniorenrundfahrt
9th Road race, UCI World Junior Championships
2016
1st   Road race, National Junior Championships
1st   Overall Tour du Pays de Vaud
1st Trofeo Emilio Paganessi
2nd   Time trial, UEC European Junior Championships
3rd Overall Grand Prix Rüebliland
1st Stage 3
3rd Overall GP Général Patton
1st   Points classification
3rd Gent–Wevelgem Juniors
5th Trofeo Buffoni
6th Paris–Roubaix Juniors
8th Time trial, UCI World Junior Championships
2017
1st   Time trial, National Under-23 Championships
1st Tour du Jura
1st   Mountains classification, Le Triptyque des Monts et Chateaux
UEC European Under-23 Championships
3rd   Road race
8th Time trial
6th Piccolo Giro di Lombardia
7th Ronde van Vlaanderen Beloften
2018
1st   Road race, UCI World Under-23 Championships
UEC European Under-23 Championships
1st   Road race
5th Time trial
2nd Overall Tour Alsace
1st Stage 3
3rd Overall Grand Prix Priessnitz spa
1st Stage 2
National Under-23 Championships
3rd Road race
4th Time trial
4th Overall Tour de l'Ain
1st   Young rider classification
5th Overall Istrian Spring Trophy
1st Stage 2
5th Liège–Bastogne–Liège Espoirs
5th Eschborn–Frankfurt Under-23
6th Ronde van Vlaanderen Beloften
8th Coppa Ugo Agostoni
10th Overall Tour de Savoie Mont Blanc
10th Tour du Doubs
10th Tacx Pro Classic
2019
National Championships
2nd Time trial
4th Road race
3rd Clásica de San Sebastián
5th Overall BinckBank Tour
6th Overall Deutschland Tour
1st   Young rider classification
10th E3 Binckbank Classic
2020 (2 pro wins)
1st La Flèche Wallonne
Tour de France
1st Stage 12
Held   after Stages 2–3
  Combativity award Stages 9, 12, 18 & Overall
2nd Liège–Bastogne–Liège
3rd   Road race, UCI World Championships
2021 (1)
2nd Time trial, National Championships
2nd Overall Tour de Luxembourg
1st Stage 2
2nd Veneto Classic
5th Brussels Cycling Classic
6th Road race, UEC European Championships
6th Liège–Bastogne–Liège
10th Druivenkoers Overijse
2022 (4)
1st Giro della Toscana
1st Grand Prix of Aargau Canton
1st Per sempre Alfredo
1st Veneto Classic
3rd Overall Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali
8th GP Miguel Induráin
9th Liège–Bastogne–Liège
9th Amstel Gold Race
9th GP Industria & Artigianato
9th Coppa Sabatini
2023 (7)
1st   Road race, National Championships
1st   Overall Tour de Hongrie
1st Stage 3
1st   Overall Tour de Luxembourg
1st   Young rider classification
1st Coppa Sabatini
1st Giro dell'Appennino
1st Prueba Villafranca de Ordizia
2nd Gran Piemonte
2nd Veneto Classic
2nd Grosser Preis des Kantons Aargau
2nd Memorial Marco Pantani
2nd Coppa Agostoni
4th Eschborn–Frankfurt
4th Coppa Bernocchi
4th Clásica Jaén Paraíso Interior
5th Giro del Veneto
5th Trofeo Matteotti
6th Overall Renewi Tour
6th Bretagne Classic
8th Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race
8th Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec
10th Liège–Bastogne–Liège
10th Hamburg Cyclassics
10th Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal
2024 (9)
1st   Overall Czech Tour
1st   Points classification
1st Stage 2
1st Bretagne Classic
1st Clásica de San Sebastián
1st Coppa Sabatini
1st GP Industria & Artigianato di Larciano
1st La Drôme Classic
1st Memorial Marco Pantani
1st Coppa Agostoni
2nd Amstel Gold Race
3rd Milano–Torino
3rd Circuit Franco-Belge
4th Veneto Classic
5th Overall Tour de Hongrie
5th Road race, National Championships
5th Giro del Veneto
6th Overall Tour de Luxembourg
6th Overall Boucles de la Mayenne
6th Road race, UCI World Championships
6th Figueira Champions Classic
9th Eschborn–Frankfurt

Grand Tour general classification results timeline

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Grand Tour 2020 2021 2022
  Giro d'Italia
  Tour de France 54 98 126
  Vuelta a España

Classics results timeline

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Monument 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Milan–San Remo 48 112
Tour of Flanders DNF
Paris–Roubaix NH
Liège–Bastogne–Liège 51 2 6 9 10 17
Giro di Lombardia DNF 36 81 19
Classic 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Strade Bianche 73 DNF 68
Milano–Torino 19 46 3
E3 Saxo Bank Classic 10 NH DNF
Dwars door Vlaanderen 52 32
Amstel Gold Race 54 35 9 36 2
La Flèche Wallonne 1 32 80 DNF
Eschborn–Frankfurt NH 4 9
Clásica de San Sebastián 3 13 1
Hamburg Cyclassics 21 NH 10
Bretagne Classic 6 1
Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec 62 Not held 8
Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal 58 10
Legend
Did not compete
DNF Did not finish

Track

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2016
1st   Madison, UCI World Junior Championships (with Reto Müller)
1st   Madison, National Championships (with Reto Müller)
2017
3rd Team pursuit, National Championships

References

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  1. ^ "Team Sunweb". UCI.org. Union Cycliste Internationale. Archived from the original on 3 January 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  2. ^ "Team DSM". UCI.org. Union Cycliste Internationale. Archived from the original on 2 January 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  3. ^ a b Fletcher, Patrick (9 January 2021). "Marc Hirschi joins UAE Team Emirates". Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  4. ^ Ryan Barry (31 August 2020). "Marc Hirschi introduces himself at Tour de France". Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  5. ^ "Il Team Sunweb ingaggia Marc Hirschi" [Team Sunweb hires Marc Hirschi]. Radiotelevisione svizzera (in Italian). 12 September 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  6. ^ "Team Sunweb confirm 2019 men's and women's rosters". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. 23 November 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  7. ^ MacLeary, John (28 September 2018). "Marc Hirschi becomes first Swiss to win under-23 men's road race at UCI Road World Championships after late attack". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  8. ^ "107th Tour de France: Startlist". ProCyclingStats. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  9. ^ "Marc Hirschi named 'most combative rider' of Tour de France". Velo. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  10. ^ Farrand, Stephen (27 September 2020). "Hirschi continues to impress with World Championships bronze". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  11. ^ "Marc Hirschi wins 2020 Flèche Wallonne from late attack". VeloNews. 30 September 2020. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  12. ^ Owen, Tom (30 September 2020). "Rising star Marc Hirschi continues excellent form with La Fleche Wallone victory". Eurosport. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  13. ^ "Marc Hirschi and Team DSM part ways". Velo. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  14. ^ Ryan, Barry (5 January 2021). "Tour de France stage winner Marc Hirschi leaves Team DSM". Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  15. ^ "Tour de Luxembourg: Hirschi takes over race lead with stage 2 victory". CyclingNews. 15 September 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  16. ^ "Matteo Trentin (UAE Team Emirates) positif au Covid, Marc Hirschi le remplace". L'Équipe. 29 June 2022.
  17. ^ Knöfler, Lukas (29 January 2023). "Marius Mayrhofer sprints to victory at Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  18. ^ "STAGE 3 : KAPOSVÁR - PÉCS" (PDF). Tour de Hongrie. Tour de Hongrie. 12 May 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  19. ^ "Cyclisme: Marc Hirschi est champion de Suisse". lematin.ch. 25 June 2023.
  20. ^ "Hirschi wins the Tour de Luxembourg as Johannessen solos to final stage win". CyclingNews. 24 September 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  21. ^ Frattini, Kirsten (25 February 2024). "Late-race attack nets Marc Hirschi the victory at Faun Drome Classic". Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  22. ^ "Marc Hirschi Foils Julian Alaphilippe At San Sebastian Classic". FloBikes. 10 August 2024. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  23. ^ Farrand, Stephen (14 September 2024). "Marc Hirschi continues winning streak with victory at Memorial Marco Pantani". CyclingNews. Archived from the original on 21 September 2024. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
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