The Cycling World Championship 2025 (September 21 to 28) begins on Sunday in the Rwandan capital Kigali. In the main race of men, defending champion Tadej Pogacar and Co. awaits a route that has it all. And according to cycling legend Tom Dumoulin, contains a “real killer”.
The last competition day of the 2025 cycling World Cup in Rwanda could become a very special highlight. The reason is the course that the men have to cope with in the elite race. Almost 5,500 meters of altitude await Tadej Pogacar and Co. on 267.5 kilometers – a brutal profile that will demand everything from the starters and do not allow any phases of weakness.
The former double world champion and ex-giro winner Tom Dumoulin visited the route in advance for a contribution in the “Ride Magazine” and described the portal “Wielerflits” what the cycling stars have to adjust on September 28th. His analysis of the route has it all.
The World Cup runs are a problem
“It is really hard and is basically an increase after climbing after climbing. You get almost no way to recover,” said the ex-professional, who, among other things, recognizes a problem in the descents. These are not only well developed, but also almost without curves. Means: the drivers are quickly below. “And then it goes very quickly to the next climb.”
After around 160 kilometers, the drivers of the Mont Kigali are waiting, which, according to Dumoulin, only has to be climbed once. “It’s really hard. I would have liked it to have come a little more towards the final. This is a real killer,” the Dutchman described the almost six kilometer long and an average of 6.9 percent steep climb.
“That is the point where everything falls apart”
Another mountain in this category is the Côte de Kimihurura. This increase is only 1.3 kilometers long with an average climb of 6.3 percent. However, cobblestones are driven here. That and the fact that he waits relatively shortly before the goal makes it complicated, analyzed dumoulin.
“This is the point where everything falls apart. After that, it continues flat, before the last kilometer basically only leads uphill,” said the ex-driver, who is convinced in view of the brutal route: “The best driver will win here. And normally I can’t think of any other than Tadej Pogacar.”