On Sunday, cycling superstar Tadej Pogacar in Rwanda again voted world champion. When the Slovenian crossed the finish line, a large part of the 164 starters were certainly no longer in the race and already appeared in the results list with the abbreviation DNF (did not finish). Many drivers frustrated that.
Small announcement with great consequences: Shortly before the start of the World Cup race in Kigali on Sunday, the Radsport World Association announced that the time limit for the deficit during the race was limited to ten minutes. Means: If a driver has a deficit of ten minutes to the extreme at a certain time of the race, he is no longer allowed to continue and is taken out by the race management.
On Sunday in Kigali, these ten-minute rule led to a bizarre picture, especially since 134 drivers were affected. In the end, only 30 drivers saw the goal, as few as since 1995 not at a World Cup. The frustration level at the sorted out was correspondingly high.
Cycling stars complain about course and regulations
“If 25 drivers appear in the results list and the others have a DNF, you should perhaps ask yourself whether this is the right way. There were certainly more than 25 good drivers here,” complained the Belgian Xandro Meurisse, who was at the end of one of the victims of the time limit and the hard course.
“There is this trend to make everything more difficult. As here with an extra round and a few more climbs,” he complained. He was not angry, “but I had planned to end the race. It is always nice to end a World Cup race. But if you stop you, it’s not very nice. We all knew beforehand that it would be very difficult and grueling under these conditions and on this course. And that’s exactly how it happened.”
“One of the hardest days of my career”
Even the Dutch Thymen Arensman did not agree with the route and said: “I think it would be an idea to drive two rounds less because it was a bit over here. Especially under these conditions and at this height it was a bit too much.”
The high temperatures, the hard course and the many meters of altitude not only increase the drivers who did not see the goal. According to his own statement, the Italian Giulio Ciccone, who ended up in the end, also suffered in the saddle.
“That was one of the hardest days of my career. A gruesome suffering,” he said. The weather exempted him and the other “kilometers by kilometer”. The fifth -placed Toms Skujinš said: “In the end it was like a triathlon. Everyone came to the finish alone.”