World Championship 2025: Men’s RR, September 28

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Who will win the WC 2025 RR?


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But Del Toro doesn't have football background, Evenepoel has. We can forgive him a bit hand waving and such things.
Oh, and complaining after the race, of course.

you realize he complained no more than pog after the ITT -- in fact, I would argue less, he was pretty matter-of-fact about stuff like that can happen.

is he not allowed to be disappointed a few seconds after he crosses the line. jeez.
 
That was another massive performance by the best rider of the current century. He's the first to win the double Tour-WC two years in a row. We're getting so used to it that we'd almost forget how exceptional this is. He had the guts to attack on the climb that suited him best, and kept going until the end.

Evenepoel was very strong in the local laps, but couldn't follow on Mount Kigali. After that there was some hope left when the Australians and the Italians started working, but the group got smaller and smaller and everybody was exhausted.

For Healy and Skjelmose I regret that they can't win a major race. They're really strong and have a fighting spirit, but in an era dominated by a few riders it's next to impossible for the other riders to win a monument or a world title.

The WC in Kigali was a historic event with the strongest riders on the podium. This was clearly the toughest road race of the century. The gaps were bigger in one day than in the Vuelta after three weeks. It was a unique experience to see the enthusiasm of the African crowd and the beautiful environment. This race won't be forgotten.
 
I always think the important thing with WCs is the balance.

Should - even 10 years - be at least:

1x ardennesish
1x flattish
1x flandrianish (but ofc more E3 than Ronde/Roubaix!)
1x mid-mountainy

2018 (mid-moutain) was the last time that the course was not basically between an easy and a hard Ardennes classic...

2016 was the last time a sprinter had a chance to win...

and of course 2026 will also be not dissimilar to the 2019-2025 courses "stylistically".

If you are a sprinter who is not van Aert, Pedersen, Matthews the last chance you had to win a Worlds was 2016.

If you are a climber who is not "punchy" the last chance you had to win was 2018.

Now, ofc the worlds will always be more towards a hilly course... and that is great, it is some of my favourite parcours... BUT maybe have some variation of a hilly course in 6-7/10 years and mix it up the other 3-4.
Why ofc closer to E3 than RVV/Roubaix?
 
I agree in general – Leuven was harder than a standard Flanders course, but easier than an Amstel, but I think Yorkshire was a good well-balanced race, and you had people like Kristoff in the second group in 2022. 2023 I loved because it was a unique race.

2018, 2020, 2024, 2025, 2026 and 2027 are all very climber friendly. I think 6/10 for climbers is too much, but I suppose before that we only had one climber friendly route between 2010-2017 so in the long run it balances?
2024 was for puncheurs IMO. Nowadays, Pogacar is a favorite to win any type of race except flat classics.
 
Why ofc closer to E3 than RVV/Roubaix?

Because I think the "ethos" of the worlds in general is historically/should be slightly less specialised than the most specialised terrains.

This was the "hardest" Ardenny type course in history and harder than LBL really. I am fine with that every now and again, lets say once every 5 years or so you have a Kigali or an Innsbruck or a Qatar, kind of an "extreme" in terms of 1-day races and who it favours.

But in general it is nice when you have a course that can be won on in multiple ways by multiple rider "types" And hence E3-ish instead of a cobbled monument. A lot of guys can/have won E3 who have no chance at Flanders/Roubaix, and is more open as a result (even if less so these days with van Aert and VdP being incredible on such terrain).
 
Favourite rider about to win his 2nd world championships and this thread seems to be filled with Pogacar fans still searching for reasons to get upset about something. I don't understand it.
Reminds me of that John Cleese skit about how wonderful it feels to be an extremist because you one can always have enemies--so that everything that is bad in the world is on them and all the good in the world is with you.
 
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Because I think the "ethos" of the worlds in general is historically/should be slightly less specialised than the most specialised terrains.

This was the "hardest" Ardenny type course in history and harder than LBL really. I am fine with that every now and again, lets say once every 5 years or so you have a Kigali or an Innsbruck or a Qatar, kind of an "extreme" in terms of 1-day races and who it favours.

But in general it is nice when you have a course that can be won on in multiple ways by multiple rider "types" And hence E3-ish instead of a cobbled monument. A lot of guys can/have won E3 who have no chance at Flanders/Roubaix, and is more open as a result (even if less so these days with van Aert and VdP being incredible on such terrain).
That same ‘ethos’ is what led to a comparatively sub elite (in terms of all time great tier) rider in Valverde being a medal contender nearly the entirety of his career.
 
Fantastic Worlds! Rwanda delivered big time. I received a slap on my face with this people in Rwanda. I was expecting much more chaos, bad behaviours from fans but no, no one was on the road, too close from riders, massive crowds, many happy fans, music, smiles, great landscapes! I enjoyed and expect Worlds come here sooner than later!
Rwanda, the crowds, the fans, the atmosphere was absolutely a 10. Great to see and good for the sport.
 

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