In another audacious solo triumph, Tadej Pogačar captured his second consecutive rainbow jersey amidst throngs of cheering fans at the 2025 UCI Road World Championships in Kigali on Sunday.
Storming to the top of the final cobbled Côte de Kimihurara and crossing the finish line after 66km of racing alone in warm temperatures, the salt-stained Slovenian raced straight into the arms of his support crew, celebrating what he said was one of the toughest races of his career.
“It was my big goal of the season to defend the jersey. The course was one of the toughest that I did in the Worlds, so it was a big goal and I’m really happy that I ticked it off,” Pogačar told the assembled media at the Kigali Convention Centre.
The elite men’s 267.5km race featured a 15.1km city circuit, nine at the start and six at the end, along with the additional challenge of a mid-race extension loop that boasted three more climbs; Côte de Péage, which is 1.8km at 5.9%, the decisive Mount Kigali was the longest climb at 5.9km at 6.9% and peaked at 1,771 metres altitude, and the famed Mur de Kigali, which was only 400m but features unruly cobbles and was punishingly steep with an average of 11%.
The route was touted as one of the toughest in World Championship history, due to its 5,475m of elevation gain, but one that was well-suited to Pogačar’s strengths.
In what was probably the most predictable attack of the eight days of racing at these Worlds, Pogačar accelerated over the route’s mid-race centre-piece climb, Mount Kigali, with 104km remaining.
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