{"id":149009,"date":"2025-09-20T09:22:20","date_gmt":"2025-09-20T09:22:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/149009\/"},"modified":"2025-09-20T09:22:20","modified_gmt":"2025-09-20T09:22:20","slug":"uci-road-world-championships-kigali-2025-remco-evenepoel-and-tadej-pogacar-top-the-power-rankings-for-time-trial-gold","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/149009\/","title":{"rendered":"UCI Road World Championships Kigali 2025: Remco Evenepoel and Tadej Pogacar top the power rankings for time trial gold"},"content":{"rendered":"

If Jay Vine\u2019s form<\/a> \u2013 winning the blue polka dot jersey and coming within nine-tenths of a second of beating Ganna at the recent Vuelta time trial \u2013 should be an obvious cause for concern for the double Olympic champion, then it\u2019s the presence of the Australian\u2019s trade team-mate Tadej Pogacar on the start ramp that may prove the strongest obstacle between Evenepoel and another slice of history.<\/p>\n

Pogacar does not often take part in the time trial events at the world championships \u2013 but the mountainous route in Kigali, coupled with the Slovenian\u2019s fine performances against the clock this year, have inspired the 26-year-old to pack his national skinsuit on the plane to Rwanda.<\/p>\n

If anything, an hour\u2019s riding on lumpy terrain in race conditions will be solid preparation for the road race one week later, for which defending champion Pogacar will be the outright favourite.<\/p>\n

The challenging 40.6km route never drops below 1,400m altitude and features a whopping 680m of vertical gain \u2013 compared to 412m at Zurich 2024 and 352m at Sterling 2023.<\/p>\n

After rolling down the ramp at the BK Arena, the riders will get into their grove in a fast and largely flat section for the first 8km ahead of the Cote de Nyanza (2.5km at 5.8%).<\/p>\n

The first of three climbs is followed by a descent into the Nyabarongo valley ahead of a 180-degree U-turn to tackle the same climb in reverse (6.6km at 3.5%).<\/p>\n

\"picture\"<\/p>\n

UCI Road World Championships Kigali 2025: men’s individual time trial profile<\/p>\n

Image credit: From Official Website<\/p>\n

Another long 9km descent plays out in several steps ahead of the Cote de Peage (2km at 6%). The riders then negotiate a roundabout on the summit, then descent the climb on the other side of the road before a tight left turn on to the cobbled Cote de Kimihurura (1.3km at 6.3%).<\/p>\n

The finish is preceded by a leg-sapping uphill ramp to the line at the Kigali Conference Centre. All in all, 12.2km (30%) of the route is uphill, 13.2km (33%) is downhill, and 15.2km (37%) is flat \u2013 making it a test for all-rounders, not just rouleurs, climbers or TT specialists.<\/p>\n

Such is the mountainous profile that Ganna \u2013 runner-up to Evenepoel for the past two years \u2013 has decided to give the worlds a wide berth. But the demanding terrain and high altitude, coupled with the unknowns of the first ever worlds to be held in Africa, could make this a highly unpredictable ITT where someone could spring a surprise.<\/p>\n

Without further ado, let\u2019s take a closer look at our Kigali 2025 World Championships men\u2019s individual time trial power rankings, in reverse order.<\/p>\n

10. Magnus Sheffield (USA)<\/p>\n

The 23-year-old American sneaks into the top 10 ahead of Belgium\u2019s Ilan Van Wilder, Spanish duo Raul Garcia Pierna and Ivan Romeo, and his Dutch trade team-mate Thymen Arensman, who strained his glute in the Tour of Britain.<\/p>\n

Sheffield is an all-or-nothing kind of rider, so could go really well, or could equally blow up on the tricky course in Rwanda. His 31st place in La Vuelta\u2019s TT does not bode well, but Sheffield will prefer the hillier terrain to the flat offering from Valladolid.<\/p>\n

9. Matteo Sobrero (Italy)<\/p>\n

The 28-year-old Italian probably stands a better chance than his Italian team-mate Mattia Cattaneo, having had the opportnity to condition himself during three mountainous weeks in Spain for La Vuelta.<\/p>\n

Sobrero was national TT champion in 2021 but could only take 64th in La Vuelta\u2019s race of truth to Valladolid \u2013 although his priorities there were very much aligned to helping out his Red Bull team-mates Jai Hindley and Giulio Pellizzari in their GC push.<\/p>\n

8. Paul Seixas (France)<\/p>\n

\"picture\"<\/p>\n

Paul Seixas<\/p>\n

Image credit: Getty Images<\/p>\n

The reigning junior world time trial champion takes a step up to the big boys\u2019 division. Seixas\u2019 last race for Decathlon, back in late August, saw him win the Tour de l\u2019Avenir after triumphing in the final day uphill time trial to La Rosiere. He also won the opening day prologue in Tignes, which bodes doubly well \u2013 although the opposition in Kigali will be far stiffer.<\/p>\n

When the 18-year-old has gone head-to-head with the pros this season, he took a solid if unspectacular 10th place in the Dauphine\u2019s time trial \u2013 well over a minute down on the winner, Evenepoel.<\/p>\n

7. Primoz Roglic (Slovenia)<\/p>\n

Somewhat eclipsed by his compatriot Pogacar ever since that final time trial implosion at La Planche de Belles Filles back in 2020, Roglic remains a force to be reckoned with.<\/p>\n

The 35-year-old was third in the Tour\u2019s mountainous time trial, 1\u201920″ ahead of Evenepoel but trailing Pogacar by the same time. It\u2019s easy to forget that Roglic has 18 professional time trial wins to his name, most notably the Olympic title in 2021 at Tokyo. With Pogacar expected to dominate the road race, his compatriot may pass under the radar and push for a medal against the clock.<\/p>\n

6. Luke Plapp (Australia)<\/p>\n

You might have spotted a theme or unifying factor so far \u2013 namely, that none of these early names in the power rankings stand a realistic chance of winning gold. It rings true with Plapp, too \u2013 although he has much more of a pedigree than his forerunners.<\/p>\n

The 24-year-old is a three-time national champion and a former U23 silver medallist, and he broke into the top 10 of both time trials during the Tour de France, finishing ninth in Caen and, notably, fifth in the uphill test to Peyragudes (where he beat Evenepoel quite comfortably).<\/p>\n

\"picture\"<\/p>\n

‘That corner is dodgy!’ – Plapp goes down on ‘slippery’ part of road on Stage 2<\/p>\n

Video credit: TNT Sports<\/p>\n

Earlier in the season, Plapp came seventh in the Giro\u2019s time trial between Lucca and Pisa, so he\u2019s clearly no slouch, although he crashed in the earlier Tijana TT. While gold is beyond him, with a little luck \u2013 combined with some off-days for the favourites \u2013 there could be an outside chance of a bronze for the Jayco-AlUla rider.<\/p>\n

5. Bruno Armirail (France)<\/p>\n

Three-time national time trial champion Armirail has had a fine season for Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, performing consistently well, regularly featuring in breakaways, and earning a high-profile move to Visma-Lease a Bike for 2026 in the process.<\/p>\n

The 31-year-old was fourth in the Vuelta\u2019s TT at Valladolid, fourth also in the Tour\u2019s flat TT in Caen, and just made the top 20 for the uphill TT to Peyragudes. Armirail twice topped the KOM standings in stage races \u2013 at Itzulia Basque Country and the Dauphine \u2013 so he has the profile to put in a good time in Kigali.<\/p>\n

4. Stefan Kung (Switzerland)<\/p>\n

A mistake on one of the roundabouts did for his chances in the Vuelta\u2019s TT in Valladolid, but the 31-year-old Swiss powerhouse remains \u2013 on his day \u2013 one of the peloton\u2019s strongest riders against the clock, despite morphing more into a Classics specialist of late.<\/p>\n

Twice a European TT champion, Kung would prefer a flatter course. But unlike Ganna, the Rwandan hills have not kept him off the plane to Kigali. Illness derailed his first week of the Vuelta, but Kung rode into solid form in Spain and should reach his peak in time for the worlds. \u00a0<\/p>\n

3. Remco Evenepoel (Belgium)<\/p>\n

\"picture\"<\/p>\n

\u2018That was special\u2019 \u2013 Evenepoel delivers \u2018supersonic ride\u2019 to win Stage 4<\/p>\n

Video credit: TNT Sports<\/p>\n

Surely it would take a brave man to mark the double defending champion as only the third favourite for time trial glory?<\/p>\n

Evenepoel beat Ganna by eight seconds in Zurich and 12 seconds in Sterling; with the Italian absent, then Evenepoel must be the favourite? Especially given the convincing manner in which he beat Pogacar and the entire peloton in the Tour\u2019s 32km time trial in Caen, not to mention his TT triumphs earlier in the season at Romandie and the Dauphine.<\/p>\n

Perhaps. But the Belgian \u2013 albeit one likely to have been hampered by illness \u2013 could only finish 12th in the uphill time trial to Peyragudes, where he conceded a whopping 2\u201940″ on the 8km climb. With more climbing in Kigali, his dominance on the flat could be even further negated by his rivals. \u00a0<\/p>\n

That said, Evenepoel doesn’t seem to be worried by the presence of Pogacar, dismissing his rival as a mere “extra challenger” prior to the event. <\/p>\n

2. Tadej Pogacar (Slovenia)<\/p>\n

On paper and in most people\u2019s heads \u2013 not to mention hearts \u2013 Pogacar will be No. 1 on a course that entirely suits his broad skillset.<\/p>\n

This is a rider so sure of his form that he is even prepared to sit up and let his trade team-mates win races he could otherwise win at a canter \u2013 as we saw with Brandon McNulty\u2019s triumph in Montreal.<\/p>\n

Pogacar was so clinical in the Tour\u2019s uphill time trial that it almost seems offensive to think anyone else can take the gold medal in Kigali. But how much of an eye will the 26-year-old have on the following weekend\u2019s road race?<\/p>\n

If Pogacar doesn\u2019t go all in where some of his rivals may, then that could be the difference between gold, silver and bronze. And it\u2019s also worth remembering that Pogacar has notoriously struggled in world championships TT events \u2013 most recently in Stirling, where he finished over three minutes behind Evenepoel in 21st.<\/p>\n

In 2022, he came sixth in Wollongong and in 2021 he could only muster 10th in Bruges. Perhaps the swashbuckling Slovenian is just not destined ever to don a rainbow skinsuit.<\/p>\n

1. Jay Vine (Australia)<\/p>\n

\"picture\"<\/p>\n

Jay Vine glaubte kurz, er h\u00e4tte das Zeitfahren auf der 18. Vuelta-Etappe gewonnen<\/p>\n

Image credit: Getty Images<\/p>\n

The Vuelta\u2019s King of the Mountains finished just nine-tenths of a second behind Ganna in the 12km time trial at Valladolid earlier in the month while sporting the climber’s blue polka dots \u2013 showcasing the exact skillset he\u2019ll need to triumph in Kigali.<\/p>\n

A former national time trial champion who picked up two mountaintop wins in Spain this month, 29-year-old Vine is in the form of his life. And with everyone expecting either his trade team-mate Pogacar or the defending champion Evenepoel to win gold, Vine could sneak in and pull off something special.<\/p>\n

Ranking Vine above the best mountain time triallist of his generation and the double reigning champion may appear far-fetched, but these are the world championships \u2013 being held in Africa for the first time in extremely hot conditions \u2013 so there are bound to be shocks and surprises.<\/p>\n

Watch and stream top cycling action live on TNT Sports and discovery+<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If Jay Vine\u2019s form \u2013 winning the blue polka dot jersey and coming within nine-tenths of a second…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":149010,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[4985,101,66007,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-149009","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cycling","8":"tag-cycling","9":"tag-sports","10":"tag-uci-road-world-championships","11":"tag-uk","12":"tag-united-kingdom","13":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/149009","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=149009"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/149009\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/149010"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=149009"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=149009"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=149009"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}