Time trialists' big day
The UCI Road World Championships in Kigali begin this weekend, and the opening events will be the time trials. For the great specialists of the discipline, this is the most important race of the year, as whoever wins will wear the rainbow jersey in all time trials of the coming season.
Women’s race: route and favorites
The women’s race on Saturday covers 31 km, including three climbs and a cobbled section of about one kilometer, making it less suited for pure specialists compared to previous editions. The course totals 500 meters of elevation gain.
Demi Vollering (1200), Marlen Reusser (1000), Juliette Labous (1000), Anna van der Breggen (800), Antonia Niedermaier (800), Anna Henderson (800), Katarzyna Niewiadoma (1000), Cédrine Kerbaol (800) and Chloé Dygert (600) are among the main favorites.
Men’s race: route and favorites
On Sunday it’s the men’s turn. The route is similar to the women’s race but adds an extra climb (Côte de Peace (1.9 km at 6.6%)), bringing the distance to 40 km with 750 meters of elevation gain.
Remco Evenepoel (1200) and Tadej Pogačar (1200) are the two big favorites. Other contenders include Jay Vine (800), Bruno Armirail (400), Magnus Sheffield (600), Stefan Küng (600), Ilan Van Wilder (600), Luke Plapp (600), Thymen Arensmann (800), Iván Romeo (400) and Isaac Del Toro (1000), one of the breakout stars of the season.
Photo: © UCI