Pro racing photographer Zac Williams talks us through his favourite images from the 2023 season
Race: Tour of Flanders, 2nd April 2023 ‘I love the Tour of Flanders – it always delivers some of the most attritional racing of the year, and never more so than the 2023 edition when the back half of the peloton was forced to stop and unclip to walk their way up the Koppenberg because it was just too steep and slippery to ride. It’s nice to be occasionally reminded that the pros aren’t superhuman.’
Race: Giro d’Italia, Stage 5, 10th May 2023 ‘For most of the day, Stage 5 of the Giro was a fairly straightforward sprint stage. But right at the end everything turned upside down – literally, in the case of Mark Cavendish [Astana]. In incredibly wet conditions, the final sprint ended with Cav coming down and sliding over the finish line, taking out several other riders along the way.
‘As photographers, we never set out wishing for crashes, but when they happen you don’t hesitate. It always makes for an arresting image, and thankfully everyone involved was OK.’
Race: La Flèche Wallonne Féminine, Belgium, 19th April 2023 ‘Demi Vollering [SD Worx] was unstoppable in the Ardennes last year. After the finish, in the midst of the scrum and chaos that followed her win, I managed to capture this split second of calm as she came to grips with her epic win. She glanced at my lens and I caught the shot before she turned away to celebrate with her teammates and family.
I love moments like this; they’re rare and even more rewarding to me than a good action
