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2025-09-28T11:06:20.065Z
This is where the race will diverge from what we’ve seen so far, with the riders leaving the short circuit to take on a longer one, including a few new climbs.
2025-09-28T11:05:08.585Z
While Ruvalcaba has abandoned the race, Del Toro’s other Mexican teammate, Eder Frayre is right at the front helping the pace-setting. His work with the Belgian’s has seen the gap fall significantly in recent kilometres, to about 1:35, as they cross the line for the ninth time.
2025-09-28T10:57:40.579Z
While Pogačar and Evenepoel are the favourites, Isaac del Toro could throw a real spanner in the works. He’s young and has no experiences of racing this distance, and has a weaker Mexican team of just two domestiques to support him (one of whom, David Ruvalcaba has just abandoned); but the way he rode at the Giro earlier this year, and his prolific run of victories since then, means he has to be watched closely.
2025-09-28T10:52:23.101Z
While we wait for the action to kick off, have a read of the riders we picked out as the main ones to watch in the fight for the rainbow jersey.
2025-09-28T10:50:46.021Z
Belgium continue to lead the peloton, keeping the gap hovering at around 2:10.
140KM TO GO
2025-09-28T10:47:40.726Z
Govekar and Primožič both have now abandoned, following Žumer from earlier. That leaves Pogačar down to 6 teammates.
2025-09-28T10:44:23.805Z
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2025-09-28T10:42:59.921Z
Pogačar has lost anothe teammate from the peloton on that climb, with Matevž Govekar following Primožič in being dropped.
2025-09-28T10:42:09.021Z
The pace was up on that climb, the gap coming down anout 30 seconds to just over two minutes due to the work from Belgium.
2025-09-28T10:39:32.729Z
They’re taking on the cobbled climb again, and Iván Romeo and Slovenia’s Jaka Primožič are the latest to be dropped.
2025-09-28T10:37:58.168Z
The gap between the seven leaders and the peloton remains much the same, at 2:40.
150KM TO GO
2025-09-28T10:37:22.434Z
Evenepoel is feeling buoyant following his victory in the time trial last weekend, and is now looking to seal a Worlds double in the same manner he did at the Olympics last year. He says he and the Belgium team have a plan for how to defeat Pogačar.
2025-09-28T10:28:19.913Z
Evenepoel, making his way back to the peloton.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2025-09-28T10:26:19.672Z
Evenepoel is back in the peloton. That took him a lot less time than it did for Pogačar the lap before.
2025-09-28T10:25:50.800Z
Pogačar’s down a teammate – Matic Žumer is the latest to abandon.
2025-09-28T10:25:02.979Z
Evenepoel follows in Pogačar’s stead by using the portable toilet at the start of the circuit for a comfort break.
2025-09-28T10:22:41.050Z
The gap continues to hold steady, at 2:30.
160KM TO GO
2025-09-28T10:19:47.603Z
There’s been a slight change at the front of the peloton as the near the end of the seventh lap, with Belgium now taking total control while the Slovenians drop back more, not having resumed at the front since Pogačar returned to the peloton.
2025-09-28T10:18:47.988Z
Georg Zimmermann is the latest rider to drop out the back of the peloton labouring on the cobbles up the Côte de Kimihurura. The race might not be on yet in terms of attacks and accelerations, but this brutal course is still taking its toll.
2025-09-28T10:15:43.396Z
You can read more on the abandons of Julian Alaphilippe and the other big names who have dropped out already.
2025-09-28T10:12:47.867Z
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2025-09-28T10:07:53.918Z
The pace remained much the same during Pogačar’s time out the back. The gap is still at 2:30.
170KM TO GO
2025-09-28T10:06:54.745Z
One rider who hasn’t made it back into the peloton is Luke Plapp. The Australian has abandoned.
2025-09-28T10:06:23.869Z
Pogačar and his two teammates are back in the peloton.
2025-09-28T10:03:15.327Z
Pogačar’s just had to stop with a couple of teammates, and is now making his way back to the peloton. It must have been for either a comfort break or a mechanical.
2025-09-28T10:00:41.897Z
Belgium’s Florian Vermeersch leads the peloton over the finish line to complete the sixth lap, swamped by the green contingent of Slovenian riders behind him. Just three more laps now until they head off the small circuit for the first time to take on the big circuit out of town.
2025-09-28T09:58:22.262Z
While others blamed the tactics for the favourites’ failure to bring back the break yesterday, Kasia Niewiadoma pointed out how the conditions made things difficult for them. We shouldn’t understate how much all this riding at high altitude will sap away at the riders’ strength throughout the day – and could produce more surprise results today.
2025-09-28T09:55:01.866Z
It’ still Slovenia and Belgium pulling at the front of the peloton.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2025-09-28T09:53:52.645Z
The gap’s come down some more, to 2:33. Slovenia and Belgium aren’t granting these riders too much of a lead.
180KM TO GO
2025-09-28T09:52:13.185Z
Elisa Longo Borghini praised the breakaway medalists, while also lamenting how her group was ‘a bit stupid’. ‘It’s pretty clear what happened. Everyone was looking at each other, and we lost the race.’
2025-09-28T09:49:09.854Z
While some were frustrated with yesterday’s women’s road race, others felt they couldn’t have done much more. One rider was Demi Vollering, whose Dutch team were this year more disappointed by their lack of legs than their lack of cooperation.
2025-09-28T09:47:09.433Z
Will Barta is the latest to abanon the race, having done some work at the front of the peloton earlier for USA.
2025-09-28T09:46:27.894Z
Luke Plapp as been dropped from the peloton. That’s a surprise, given how good a climber he is, and how low the pace is at the moment.
2025-09-28T09:45:41.641Z
Kim Le Court-Pienaar was also frustrated with how yesterday’s race unfolded, criticising the riders accompanying her in the group of favourites for not working together.
2025-09-28T09:43:12.073Z
It’s 2:48 now for the lead group. That’s come down a few seconds over the last few kilometres.
2025-09-28T09:42:05.271Z
Taking heed from yesterday’s race, the favourites will not want to lose control of the race should it start getting chaotic. This morning the news was full of discontented riders lamenting the wasted opportunity. Tour de France champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot called the race a ‘big mess.’
2025-09-28T09:38:10.129Z
Slovenia, along with Belgium’s Florian Vermeersch, lead the peloton as they climb the Côte de Kimihurura for the fifth time. They will be all too familiar with it by the end of the day – they still have eleven more ascents of it to complete.
2025-09-28T09:34:12.898Z
Mechanical for Victor Campanaerts. He could have a big role to play for Evenepoel later today, remembering the brilliant work he did as a domestique for Jonas Vingegaard’s Visma-Lease a Bike at the Tour de France.
2025-09-28T09:28:36.614Z
While it’s calm for now, the early attacks might foreshadow how this race will be taken on later, as riders try to figure out a way to stop Tadej Pogačar from doing his thing.
Yesterday’s women’s road race might provide a template, given how the victor came from an early move that took the favourites off guard. In her own words, here’s how Magdeleine Vallieres said she claimed that unlikely victory.
2025-09-28T09:24:03.764Z
The break’s lead has grown over the last few kilometres since the climb, and has exceeded three minutes for the first time today.
200KM TO GO
2025-09-28T09:23:02.412Z
They’ve been racing for over an hour and a half, and there are still 200km left to ride. This is one of the most demanding races of the year.
2025-09-28T09:20:22.934Z
France are down from nine riders to seven already, with Louis Barré the latest to pull out. He was seen dropping out of the peloton, and, like Alaphilippe, looked out of sorts. Illness in the French team, perhaps?
2025-09-28T09:18:52.223Z
Here is home favourite Eric Manizabayo, on the attack.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2025-09-28T09:15:42.033Z
Manizabayo is battling up the climb to huge cheers from the crowd, and the race announcer, and just about stays clear of the peloton by the top. The race for the rainbow jersey might not be fully on yet, but Manizabayo is involved in his own mission.
2025-09-28T09:12:47.642Z
The peloton’s defecit to the leads has come down a little, to just under two minutes. Manizabayo is hovering just a few seconds ahead of them.
210KM TO GO
2025-09-28T09:12:04.521Z
Mechanical for Frank van den Broek, as they take on the cobbled Kimihurura climb again.
2025-09-28T09:09:44.444Z
Just as we say that, another attack comes out of the peloton – and it’s the same rider as usual, Eric Manizabayo. The Rwandan is desperate to put on a show for his home crowds.
2025-09-28T09:08:06.012Z
It’s all much calmer in the peloton now. The riders amble though a fed one and pick up bidons, to keep themselves hydrated in the humid conditions.
2025-09-28T09:05:22.030Z
Unsurprisingly, Pogačar’s Slovenia and Evenepoel’s Belgium teams have done the bulk of the work at the front of the peloton, though they’ve now been joined by the USA.
2025-09-28T09:01:58.790Z
Van Wilder is soldiering on, but he’s got a lot of ground to make up to rejoin the peloton. This is bad news for Evenepoel, as he’s one of the Belgian’s top domestiques.
2025-09-28T09:00:10.240Z
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2025-09-28T08:58:03.706Z
Soler has also dropped out.
2025-09-28T08:57:32.574Z
Britain’s Bjorn Koerdt had got back up and riding after being one of those to crash, but has now decided to abandon.
2025-09-28T08:56:33.143Z
Rwanda’s attacker Manizabayo is back in the peloton.
2025-09-28T08:56:14.573Z
It seems all those involved in the crash are back on the bike, but some, including Van Wilder, are looking a little worse for wear.
2025-09-28T08:55:06.549Z
Meanwhile up ahead, Pierna has at last joined the leaders, who now have a lead of 2:40 on the peloton.
2025-09-28T08:53:54.371Z
There’s been a crash, some of the big nations involved. Belgium’s Van Wilder and Spain’s Soler are both involved.
2025-09-28T08:53:04.412Z
Jai Hindley of Australia needs a wheel change. Thankfully for him, this mechanical has happened during a calmer phase of the race.
2025-09-28T08:49:30.298Z
Pierna is closing in on the leaders, now just 20 seconds away.
2025-09-28T08:47:27.015Z
There’s another attack from the peloton, this time from a home favourite, Rwanda’s Eric Manizabayo. They’re happy to let this one go.
2025-09-28T08:45:40.896Z
Several riders representing the less renowned nations have already abandoned. This has been a gruelling start to the race, with attacking being made when you’d expect the race to be settled.
2025-09-28T08:40:15.997Z
The leading sextet have almost two minutes again on the peloton, with Pierna about halfway in between.
230KM TO GO
2025-09-28T08:38:52.453Z
Here’s the breakaway, climbing during the last lap.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2025-09-28T08:37:30.393Z
Madouas is back in the peloton.
2025-09-28T08:37:10.461Z
Alaphilippe, on the attack before abandoning the race.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2025-09-28T08:35:09.279Z
The peloton has settled down again, and is allowing the lead group’s advantage to grow again. Pierna is still in between the two groups.
2025-09-28T08:34:04.924Z
It’s been confirmed that Alaphilippe has abandoned the race. That was a typically erratic cameo from the Frenchman, attacking one moment, then out the back shortly after. We can only assume he must be suffering from some kind of ill-health, as the two-time champion was one of the outside favourites for the victory.
2025-09-28T08:32:38.528Z
Pidcock is back in the peloton.
2025-09-28T08:31:03.084Z
He had been joined by Campanaerts, Tejada, Wright and Seixas, but they’re all set to be reabsorbed by the peloton.
2025-09-28T08:30:02.610Z
Del Toro has sat up, along with other attackers.
2025-09-28T08:28:56.459Z
It’s all still kicking off in the peloton – Del Toro is one of the latest to attack!
2025-09-28T08:28:12.788Z
Tom Pidcock is also out the back, presumably with some kind of mechanical problem.
2025-09-28T08:27:26.506Z
Madouas has had to drop back with a mechanical. We’ve already seen most of the French contingent today, be it out the back or the front of the peloton.
2025-09-28T08:26:42.584Z
The flurry of action has seen the leading 6’s gap gall to only a little more than a minute Pierna is about 10 seconds ahead of the peloton.
240KM TO GO
2025-09-28T08:25:41.309Z
The peloton.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2025-09-28T08:23:45.318Z
The peloton is back together, but still the French are trying to break it up, as another riders tries an attack.
2025-09-28T08:22:24.722Z
Raúl García Pierna is the lastest to attack from the peloton, and has a gap.
2025-09-28T08:21:45.019Z
Having been up the road moments ago, Alaphilippe is now dropped out the back.
2025-09-28T08:21:23.131Z
That’s stretched the bunch out, to the point where a small group has gone off the front. Among them are the Slovenian riders, who are gesturing for more calm.
2025-09-28T08:20:37.371Z
There are more attacks from the peloton, and again it’s the French who are igniting it, this time with Valentin Paret-Peintre and Paul Seixas.
2025-09-28T08:19:41.187Z
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2025-09-28T08:17:37.970Z
We have our first DNF of the day – Ahmet Örken of Turkey.
2025-09-28T08:16:40.970Z
The peloton don’t like Alaphilippe’s presence up the road. They upped the race, and have brought him back along with Batsaikhan.
2025-09-28T08:14:56.412Z
Alaphilippe is up to Batsaikhan and is pressing on.
2025-09-28T08:14:40.196Z
Just when it had seemed the race was settling down, there’s been an attack. Ever the aggressor and unpredictable racer, Julian Alaphilippe has jumped out of the peloton.
2025-09-28T08:13:20.398Z
The six leaders are two minutes ahead of the peloton, with Batsaikhan about halfway in between.
250KM TO GO
2025-09-28T08:10:09.569Z
In between, Mongolia’s Tegsh-Bayar Batsaikhan attacked out of the peloton and wanted to join the leader. He has a substantial gap to make up, of almost a minute.
2025-09-28T08:08:55.259Z
The peloton has sat up, apparently happy with the make up of this break, despite the strong names and nations represented. They’re over a minute adrift.
2025-09-28T08:08:08.080Z
Make that 6 – Bernard has succeeded in bridging up to them.
2025-09-28T08:07:37.564Z
Despite the attacks, the five leaders are all together as they cross the finish line, upon completion of the first lap.
2025-09-28T08:04:57.314Z
As the riders climb the cobbled Côte de Kimihurura, for the first time, the front group is threatening to break up, with Oliveira trying to accelerate from the others.
2025-09-28T08:03:07.274Z
Julien Bernard is trying to bridge up from the peloton to the break.
2025-09-28T08:01:25.323Z
Already a few riders have been dropped out of the peloton.
2025-09-28T08:00:19.064Z
Anders Foldager and Fabio Christen have joined the front group.
2025-09-28T07:59:00.221Z
This is a strong trio – Mayrhofer, Oliveira and Huising are all elite riders. They have a lead of about 7 seconds.
260KM TO GO
2025-09-28T07:56:59.548Z
And now Walters has been dropped by those three.
2025-09-28T07:56:48.265Z
Huising, Marius Mayrhoffer and Ivo Oliveira have caught Walters.
2025-09-28T07:55:20.675Z
Menno Huising from he Dutch team is in pursuit of Walters, who leads by a handful of seconds.
2025-09-28T07:54:39.716Z
The Slovenian team leading the peloton during the neutralised section.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2025-09-28T07:50:26.182Z
Red Walters of Grenada is the first rider to get a gap.
2025-09-28T07:49:49.176Z
Lots of the conspicuous green jersey of Pogačar’s Slovenian team are massed near the front of the peloton, no doubt wanting to stay attentive to make sure no dangerous riders get up the road.
2025-09-28T07:48:48.168Z
And they’re off!
OFFICIAL START
2025-09-28T07:47:59.840Z
This long day of racing is about to get underway, as the riders move through the neutralised section in Kigali. Anticipation is building!
2025-09-28T07:43:57.166Z
Yesterday’s elite women’s road race also demonstrated how this route can produce unpredictable racing. In that race, all of the top tier favourites were thwarted as Magdeleine Vallieres became one of the most surprising winners of the rainbow jersey in the event’s history. That race showed how this route, though selective, can ignite chaos, and be difficult for even the strongest teams to control.
2025-09-28T07:39:25.524Z
There are reasons to believe that Pogačar might not have everything his own way. On his last day of racing, back at the beginning of the Championships, he suffered one of his most humbling days when Remco Evenepoel trounced him in the time trial. Evenepoel is riding again today, and is set to be Pogačar’s main rival for gold.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2025-09-28T07:35:17.661Z
There’s no doubt who the favourite is today. Tadej Pogačar won last year’s race at a canter, and has spent his year in the rainbow jersey in virtually unbeatable form. On a selective route that suits him, all eyes will be on the Slovenian.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2025-09-28T07:30:48.822Z
A week of thrilling racing in Kigali comes to a close with the final event of the Championships – the elite men’s road race.
2025-09-25T14:21:57.009Z
Hello and welcome to the 2025 World Championships men’s road race!