General News Thread

[YavorD]

Time Trial looks tough. I would give Roglic a decent chance.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

I've heard that Vingegaard allegedly is scheduled to appear in a clown costume at a kids birthday party on September 28th 2025, but perhaps it will be possible to move it to a different date.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

I've heard that Vingegaard allegedly is scheduled to appear in a clown costume at a kids birthday party on September 28th 2025, but perhaps it will be possible to move it to a different date.

Just win and dedicate the win to the kid, that simple

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Just win and dedicate the win to the kid, that simple

Then he could of course just have a red nose in his back pocket like Sastre had a pacifier.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Mont Kigali is a few laps too early for my liking.

If it came with only 3 laps after it rather than 6, you might as well hand Pogacar the jersey already. Correct call IMO.

 

[Berniece]

If it came with only 3 laps after it rather than 6, you might as well hand Pogacar the jersey already. Correct call IMO.

I also think this is a good thing. Around 100km’s to go, so this gives the possibility for 2nd tier riders to make a move, just like you would do in a nice TDF stage

 

[Valv.Piti]

Great stuff!

 

[Coffeeplanter]

Vingegaard already planning the birth of another child in order to avoid the humilation.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

I've heard that Vingegaard allegedly is scheduled to appear in a clown costume at a kids birthday party on September 28th 2025, but perhaps it will be possible to move it to a different date.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha,,, 🤣 🤣 🤣

 

[sam6]

Pogi will win both the ITT and RR next year. In a flat TT then Remco is better, but a TT with so much climbing then Pogi will win. Just look at TDF stage 21 this year. He wasn't interested this year as it's flat so he doesn't feel he can win, but next year he will be there and winning it. On the rough hilly roads of Rwanda aero gains mean nothing

 

[Tim Cahill]

Kinda rate how Vingegaard just buggers off for 6 months, even in that Vuelta last year it seemed like he wasn't really bothered and just didn't want Roglic to win. It's what I'd do at work if I could get away with it.

 

[KZD]

If there is a Worlds course where Pogačar should try the double is this one.

I am delighted that we will have a hard TT course, the last one in a major Championship was Tokyo 2021 so it was about time.

 

[E_F_]

Imagine de Ronde with a lot more climbing. Who would win? The same guy who would win de Ronde.

Kigali 2025 UCI World Championship Road Race circuit.

15.4 km, +295 m. Bike ride in Kigali, Kigali

ridewithgps.com

(The start/finish is in the roundabout on the official map, I'm not making it up).

700m 8% max 11% tops with 6km to go.

1.3km 6% max 10% tops with 1.1km to go.

Final 800m to the line 5%.


Vingegaard would need to get enough separation on Mont Kigali to keep Pogacar behind on Mur de Kigali. It's not happening.

While I do agree that this is a great route without any context it's probably too difficult for any of the other cobbled classics riders to compete with Pogi - whereas making it harder would just help him even more. You could of course argue that with a rider who's head and shoulders above everyone else in many (most?) types of races, having the WC route heavily favour him is fair enough.

 

[Berniece]

Pogi will win both the ITT and RR next year. In a flat TT then Remco is better, but a TT with so much climbing then Pogi will win. Just look at TDF stage 21 this year. He wasn't interested this year as it's flat so he doesn't feel he can win, but next year he will be there and winning it. On the rough hilly roads of Rwanda aero gains mean nothing

Pogacar winning that TT has more to do with being the last stage of a GT and fatigue playing a big part, then TT capabilities.

Both being fresh Pogacar has never shown to be the better TT’er

 

[tobydawq]

Men Elite – UCI_EN

ucikigali2025.rw

Pretty great but I don't like the final uphill drag. Too steep as the decider of a big one-day race.

 

[RedheadDane]

Pogacar 100km leadout for Rogla if not I'll be salt

I don't think chemistry works like that...

Meanwhile, the Four days of Dunkirk is getting shortened... to five days, with a one-day race added on top.

The 4 Days of Dunkirk is being reduced from 6 to 5 days - Canadian Cycling Magazine

Except....there's also a sixth day of being added to the 4 Days of Dunkirk The 4 Days of Dunkirk is being reduced from 6 to 5 days

cyclingmagazine.ca

 

[E_F_]

Pretty great but I don't like the final uphill drag. Too steep as the decider of a big one-day race.

The cobbled climb 1km before the line? Yeah it could lead to passive racing...

 

[tobydawq]

The cobbled climb 1km before the line? Yeah it could lead to passive racing...

No, as I read it, the final 800 metres is at 5%.

I think all big one-day races should have a flat finale but this race is perhaps so hard that it doesn't matter (and with the riders of today, I don't think we'll get a 2014 LBL scenario).

 

[Devil's Elbow]

I don't think chemistry works like that...

Meanwhile, the Four days of Dunkirk is getting shortened... to five days, with a one-day race added on top.

The 4 Days of Dunkirk is being reduced from 6 to 5 days - Canadian Cycling Magazine

Except....there's also a sixth day of being added to the 4 Days of Dunkirk The 4 Days of Dunkirk is being reduced from 6 to 5 days

cyclingmagazine.ca

That's Var, Oman and Dunkerque who have exchanged one of their stages for a one-day race to inflate the amount of UCI points they distribute. Clear sign that the UCI should factor race length into GC points sooner rather than later.

 

[E_F_]

No, as I read it, the final 800 metres is at 5%.

I think all big one-day races should have a flat finale but this race is perhaps so hard that it doesn't matter (and with the riders of today, I don't think we'll get a 2014 LBL scenario).

Ah ok, sorry. I like uphill finishes so much, that I couldn't imagine anyone would have a problem with it lol. But I do agree, that it might be a bit too long/steep. I'm not sure, though. The 800m 5% isn't entirely trustworthy as I got it from just selecting a section on ridewithgps, but to be honest it does look like it gets fairly steep on streetview.

 

[RedheadDane]

That's Var, Oman and Dunkerque who have exchanged one of their stages for a one-day race to inflate the amount of UCI points they distribute. Clear sign that the UCI should factor race length into GC points sooner rather than later.

So, three stages = one 1-day race?

Why would there need to be an exchange?

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Pogacar winning that TT has more to do with being the last stage of a GT and fatigue playing a big part, then TT capabilities.

Both being fresh Pogacar has never shown to be the better TT’er

Pogacar and Evenepoel have never raced each other in any other climb-heavy TT, though. So, while fatigue obviously played a role in Pogacar easily beating Evenepoel in Nice, there isn't really much evidence in favour of Evenepoel being favoured on this route.

Also keep in mind that the hilliest championship TT Evenepoel has done - and really the only other decent-length TT in any race that could be considered climby - was at the 2021 Olympics, and that was his worst TT of that season outside of the Benelux Tour one where he was sick.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

So, three stages = one 1-day race?

Why would there need to be an exchange?

Can't tell if you're trying to troll or misreading what I'm saying, but when you cut your stage race by one day and then add a one-day race one day before the stage race starts in its place, surely that's an exchange?

 

[RedheadDane]

Can't tell if you're trying to troll or misreading what I'm saying, but when you cut your stage race by one day and then add a one-day race one day before the stage race starts in its place, surely that's an exchange?

Aaaah... it's early. I thought Dunkerque, Oman, and Var had all given up a stage for the new Dunkerque 1-day race.

 

[Berniece]

Pogacar and Evenepoel have never raced each other in any other climb-heavy TT, though. So, while fatigue obviously played a role in Pogacar easily beating Evenepoel in Nice, there isn't really much evidence in favour of Evenepoel being favoured on this route.

Also keep in mind that the hilliest championship TT Evenepoel has done - and really the only other decent-length TT in any race that could be considered climby - was at the 2021 Olympics, and that was his worst TT of that season outside of the Benelux Tour one where he was sick.

It's true that both of them have never done such a type of TT against each other when it's not at the end of a GT. But the benefit of the doubt should be given to the 2 time WC ITT in this regard. He did multiple with around 400m of altitude, and he always destroyed the opposition there. Even in Dauphine this year when he wasn't even in proper form.

2021 Olympics isn't really a benchmark for Evenepoel's performance during TT's. He wasn't in shape during that week, RR showed that too.