Tadej Pogacar road race world title highlights his dominance in 2025 season

KIGALI – Tadej Pogacar lit up Kigali’s climbs with a trademark long-range attack to claim a second consecutive men’s road race world title on Sept 28, with an air of inevitability surrounding the event as the Slovenian cemented his legacy among cycling’s all-time greats.

He triumphed as the championships were staged in Africa for the first time, with hundreds of thousands cheering from the roadside.

“I didn’t come here for the silver, I wanted the gold. Destiny had other ideas for me,” Pogacar said.

Belgian Remco Evenepoel, who won the individual time trial for the third year in a row on Sept 21, finished second, 1min 28sec off the pace, with Ireland’s Ben Healy third, another 48sec further back.

It was Ireland’s first podium finish in the event since Sean Kelly also claimed the bronze in 1989.

Pogacar, whose grimace turned into a smile in the final lap, is the third rider in the last two decades to retain the rainbow jersey after Slovakia’s Peter Sagan, who won three in a row from 2015 to 2017, and Julian Alaphilippe of France (2020, 2021).

The victory capped a glittering 2025 season for him.

The 27-year-old claimed a fourth Tour de France crown in July, dominating Jonas Vingegaard, and added spring classic triumphs at Strade Bianche, the Tour of Flanders, La Fleche Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege.

With two Monument titles already in 2025, Pogacar further cemented his versatility across one-day and stage races.

A day earlier, Canada’s Magdeleine Vallieres took a surprise gold in the women’s road race at after a decisive attack on the final climb.

The 24-year-old was in a breakaway group with New Zealand’s Niamh Fisher-Black and Spanish veteran Mavi Garcia at the climax of the 164.6km slog on a hilly Kigali circuit when she burst clear on the cobbles.

Powering up the ascent towards the finishing line, Vallieres never looked like being caught as she won by 23 seconds to become Canada’s first road champion.

Fisher-Black was second, four seconds ahead of Garcia, who was bidding to become the oldest road world champion at 41. Switzerland’s Elise Chabbey was fourth, 41 seconds adrift of the winner.

The favourites trailed home in the chasing group after being caught out and leaving their response too late.

It was only the second professional victory for Vallieres, who was not among the pre-race tips for gold.

“The girls believed in me and I believed in myself,” she said. “I was committed and knew I was in good form and just didn’t want to have regrets... and now I don’t.

“That last climb I knew I wouldn’t win in the sprint with Niamh, so I realised I had to go all in.”

Dutch rider Demi Vollering, one of the main favourites for the gold, finished seventh, while Elisa Longo Borghini of Italy could only manage 15th.

“I think this year there were multiple countries with a strong group,” Vollering, the 2023 world road race silver medallist said. “I came for more. The dream is a little bit crushed for me, but I'll keep trying.”

“I hope we inspired a few children (in Africa) to take up cycling and find a purpose in cycling,” she added.

Swiss Marlen Reusser, who won the time trial gold and took a bronze in the team event, was ninth, while Tour de France champion Pauline Ferrand-Prevot was 16th.

Meanwhile, the Israel-Premier Tech team have been excluded from the upcoming Giro dell’Emilia over public safety concerns, race organisers said on Sept 27.

The decision comes after the recent Vuelta a Espana suffered several disruptions by pro-Palestinian protesters, with the team the main focus of the protests.

The one-day Giro dell’Emilia race on Oct 4 ends in Bologna, raising fears that the finish could be the target of protests.

Pro-Palestinian protesters clashed with police in Milan on Sept 22, during a nationwide strike in Italy called by trade unions against the mass killing of civilians in Gaza. REUTERS