A hard, climbing-heavy course – with cobbles! – will test the world’s best men’s time trialist and the world’s best men’s bike racer.
Kristof Ramon
It’s Worlds time. Specifically, it’s Worlds time trial time.
The 2025 UCI Road World Championships begin this weekend in Kigali, Rwanda, marking the first time cycling’s championship bout has been staged on African soil.
The weeklong championship opens on Sunday with the Elite individual time trials. First the women, then the men, against the clock on a course that reflects Rwanda’s terrain: rolling, testing, and anything but straightforward. Gone are the pan-flat Worlds time trials of recent years; in their place, a hilly challenge (with cobbles even) that is expected to shake up the hierarchy of specialists.
For the men, the storylines align around a clash of two modern greats. Remco Evenepoel, chasing a third consecutive rainbow jersey, and Tadej Pogačar, the reigning road race World Champion who has set his sights on a rare TT–RR double. In Kigali, on a 40.6 km course that climbs more than 680 metres, the reigning kings of road racing and time trialling meet head-to-head in the opening act of a week that could define both of their seasons. Or at the very least, which jerseys they’ll be wearing.
The favourites
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: Remco Evenepoel, Tadej Pogačar
⭐⭐⭐⭐: Nobody
⭐⭐⭐: Jay Vine, Stefan Küng
⭐⭐: Luke Plapp, Bruno Amirail, Ivan Romeo
⭐: Paul Seixas, Isaac del Toro
How to watch the Worlds time trial
The men’s ITT begins Sunday 21 September at 7:45 EST/12:45 pm BST /20:45 AET (13:45 pm local time in Kigali and also CET). Lucky you, the UCI has sold broadcast rights to a collection of your favorite broadcasters.
How to watch pro cycling in 2025
A complete guide for how to watch the Tour de France and every 2025 men’s and women’s WorldTour road race for audiences in the US, Australia, Canada, and the UK, plus tips on how to save money.
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