'I have to pinch myself and figure out if it's real or not, especially after all the s**t in the past': Stevie Williams ahead of World Championships debut

Great Britain's Stevie Williams is aiming to be "competitive" in a tough men's road race at the World Championships in Zürich this Sunday, as part of a "really strong team".

The 28-year-old Welshman has enjoyed his best year to date, achieving two WorldTour level wins at the Tour Down Under and La Flèche Wallonne at the start of the year, before taking victory at the Tour of Britain Men in early September. With a place in Great Britain’s squad confirmed, Williams says he is now looking to carry his winning form into his elite worlds debut in Zurich on Sunday.

"I’d like to go there and be competitive," Williams told Cycling Weekly at the recent Grand Prix Cyclistes de Québec and Montréal in Canada. "It's a target of mine to go there with good legs, but I’m under no illusion that it’s one of the hardest races of the year."

"It's going to be extremely difficult to get into the final and try and race for the victory," he added. "But if I have a good day then I'll try my best to be there and give it a good shot. At the end of the day it’s the World Championships. If you can’t get motivated for that then what can you? We’ll be taking a really strong team and hopefully as GB we can really show our colours well."

Williams flew straight to Canada on the Monday after winning the Tour of Britain Men. Due to fatigue and minor illness, he did not finish the GP Montréal which was eventually won by the hot favourite for the men’s road world title, Tadej Pogačar.

The Aberystwyth-born rider still made the worlds selection for Great Britain and will line up alongside Tom Pidcock, Adam and Simon Yates, Oscar Onley, Jake Stewart, James Knox and Mark Donovan in the road race in Zurich.

Despite his success this year, Williams was hesitant to say that he felt he could lead the British team in Switzerland. Instead, the 28-year-old was diplomatic and said that he would simply settle for any role in the team that came his way.

"I think with GB now we have a lot of strength in depth in climbing and punching," he said. "We have a stacked pool of riders who are world class. So whether I go there and attempt to race the final, or I go there and support someone else deep into the race, that's also okay.

"It'll be something we speak about closer to the time once we're there, which is when we'll start to make decisions and look at how we can do our best."

Keeping the faith

Reflecting on his best year to date, Williams said that his success had at times felt surreal. The Welshman is a rider that has always shown enormous potential, with his best results beginning to arrive after a move to Israel-Premier Tech at the end of 2022.

Williams took his first stage race victory at the 2023 Arctic Race of Norway but it was this year where he made a big step. His form didn't go unnoticed and resulted in a lengthy contract extension coming his way during the Tour de France, which will keep him with the team until 2028.

"I don't think I could have told you at the start of the year or in winter last year, that I'd be able to be sitting here now as a winner of these races," Williams said as he reflected on his breakthrough year. "Sometimes I really have to pinch myself and try and figure out if it's real or not. So that's super special for me, especially after all the s**t in the past.

"It just really shows that anyone who's suffering with injuries or going through a bad moment just keep the faith, and then hopefully you'll come out the other side and be even better for it. That certainly worked for me."

A keen sportsman away from cycling, Williams admitted that he was now looking forward to the off season and a chance to immerse himself in other sports during a rare spell away from the bike.

"I can't wait to be able to sit down and watch some football and watch Liverpool," he said. "They are playing really well now so I'll follow them for most of the winter as I do now, but hopefully I'll actually get to a couple of football games and just enjoy it all.

"Otherwise it'll be good to spend time with friends and family, spend time with my girlfriend, and just forget about the bike for a few weeks until we gradually build it all up again."