Race Recap: 2025 Men’s Elite Road World Championships
Pogačar defends title and cements his status among the best of the best
Tadej Pogačar etched his name into history with a dominant solo win at the 2025 Elite Men’s UCI Road World Championships in Rwanda. In a race that spanned 267.5 km and demanded 5,475 meters of climbing, Pogačar launched a gutsy attack with 104 km remaining, eventually leaving all rivals in his wake. For Africa, it was the first time the continent has hosted the World Championships and for Tadej, it was a successful and historic title defense.
From the early laps as the course twisted and turned through Kigali and took riders over the punchy cobbled climbs, it was clear this would be a race of attrition. Small breakaways animated the first half, but as the race approached the midway point, the favorites came out to play. On the outer loop, approaching the top of the main climb, Pogačar struck and only Juan Ayuso and Isaac del Toro would eventually ride with him. For a moment it looked like this three-man breakaway would be the winning move but a few kilometers later both Ayuso and then del Toro blew, forcing Pogačar to ride solo.
With Pogačar out front, the peloton soon splintered into smaller chase groups, each seeking some sort of cohesion in an effort to reel the solo leader in. After Remco Evenepoel recovered from what appeared to be a series of mechanicals, (incorrect saddle positions) that necesitated two bike changes, his pursuit of Pogačar also began.
Well into the second half of the race it appeared if anyone was going to catch Pogačar it would likely be the five man chase group of Evenepoel, Hindley, Pidcock, Healy and Skjelmose. They held Pogačar on a one minute gap, with 50km to go. However, even that amount of firepower wasn’t making any indent into the lead.
Before long, Evenepoel’s relentless work splintered the chase group to just three as only Healy and Skjelmose could hold his wheel. Frustrated with doing the bulk of the work, Evenepoel eventually powered away from Healy and Skjelmose to chase Pogačar on his own.
Out front, Pogačar had no plans of being caught and he held on for another emphatic win. Evenepoel took silver, 1 min 28 sec behind and Ben Healy claimed a historic bronze for Ireland. Of the 165 riders that took to the start line, so tough was the circuit that only 30 riders finished the race. Byron Munton, the sole South African in the race, rode at or near the front of the main bunch for the first few hours, until it appeared he slipped out of contention.
Throughout, Pogačar looked casual and unflappable. His victory makes him the first rider to win both the Tour de France and the World Championships road race in the same year, twice. Remarkable.
Results
1) Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia) – 6:21:20
2) Remco Evenepoel (Belgium) – 6:22:48
3) Ben Healy (Ireland) – 6:23:36
4) Mattias Skjelmose (Denmark) – 6:24:13
5) Toms Skujins (Latvia) – 6:28:01
6) Giulio Ciccone (Italy) – 6:28:07
7) Isaac del Toro Romero (Mexico) – 6:28:07
8) Juan Ayuso Pesquera (Spain) – 6:28:07
9) Afonso Eulalio (Portugal) – 6:28:26
10) Thomas Pidcock (Great Britain) – 6:30:25 //