Race analysis, favourites, and predictions for UCI Road World Championships ME - IRR 2025
The UCI Road World Championships in Kigali will reach their peak this weekend with the elite road races, considered the crown jewels of the Worlds. On Saturday, the women’s race will take place, while on Sunday the men’s race will bring an end to a historic world championship week in Rwanda.
Women’s race: course and favorites
The women’s event takes place entirely on a circuit of just over 15 km, featuring the climbs of Kigali Golf (0.8 km at 8.1%) and Kimihurura (1.3 km at 6.2%), the latter over cobblestones. Riders must complete 11 laps of the circuit for a total of 164 km and 3600 meters of elevation gain.
Elisa Longo Borghini (1200), Demi Vollering (1200), Katarzyna Niewiadoma (1000), Marlen Reusser (1000), Marianne Vos (1200), Juliette Labous (1000), Kimberley Le Court (1000), Anna Van Der Breggen (800), Liane Lippert (1000), Évita Muzic (1000), Niamh Fisher-Black (1000), and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (800) are among the top favorites.
Men’s race: course and favorites
The men’s race, in addition to 16 laps of the same circuit as the women, includes a 42.5 km extension after the ninth lap. This section adds another 900 meters of climbing, thanks to Mount Kigali (5.9 km at 6.7%) and the fearsome Mur de Kigali (0.3 km at 14.7%). In total, the men’s race covers 267 km and 5400 meters of elevation, making it arguably the hardest World Championship in history.
Tadej Pogačar (1200) is the top favorite to repeat last year’s victory. Remco Evenepoel (1200), Juan Ayuso (1200), Isaac del Toro (1000), Richard Carapaz (1000), Oscar Onley (1000), Matthias Skjelmose (800), Thomas Pidcock (800), Ben Healy (800), Jay Vine (800), Giulio Ciccone (800), Egan Bernal (800), Thymen Arensman (800), Julian Alaphilippe (600), Giulio Pellizzari (600), Marc Soler (600), Jai Hindley (600), and Michael Storer (800) are expected to be his main rivals.
