In Kigali the Flemish, 25 years old, formerly Olympian of the specialty, enters history after the titles 2023 and 2024. The Slovenian, fourth, ends at 2’38 “. Vine (AUS) Silver at 1’14”, Bronze Van Wilder (Bel) at 2’36 “. Far Italians: Sobrero 13 ° at 4 ‘, Cattaneo 15 ° at 4’10”
Evenepel Lord of the time, he is world champion for the third time in a row. In Kigali, in Rwanda, in the first edition of the World Cup in Africa, Remco Evenepol wins the chronometer with the duel with Tadej Pogacar (today he celebrated 27 years) and inflicts him one of the hardest defeats for the Slovenian: he reaches him and exceeds when there are 2 kilometers away from the conclusion, on the stake in the final wall of Kimihurura and pendances of 11%. A situation absolutely unthinkable even to imagine it: see Pogacar with the number 2 behind Evenepoel with the number 1 that moves away meter after metro more and more. A mental blow also for the in -line test next Sunday. Olympic champion in Paris 2024 (road and chrono) and the world in Wollongg 2022 (in line) and at the time trial in Glasgow 2023 and Zurich 2024, Eventapoel at 25 years dominates the 40.6 km long test (680 meters in altitude) from the first meter and the finish line, at the average of 49.460 km/h, precedes the Australian Vine of 1’14 ” Belgian Van Wilder of 2’36 “. Quarto Pogacar at 2’38 “, fifth of the Toro at 2’40”. The Azzurri is far: Matteo Sobrero 13th at 4 ‘, Mattia Cattaneo 15th at 4’10 “. Only the Australian Michael Rogers (2003, 2004 and 2005) and the German Tony Martin (2011, 2012 and 2013) had won three World Cup in a row: there is always Cancellara.
Words
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So Evenepoel at the finish: “I felt very well, I pushed without going beyond the limit. I immediately wanted to try to impose my step, in the final I hated it a little because it was so hard … also very happy for Van Wilder, my teammate, who got on the podium. He counted only to push as strong as possible, and when I saw Pogacar there I still wanted to go strong … A great honor win the third title in a row, and next year in Montreal I want to be the first to win four consecutive “.
Detachment
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Evenepel, riding his gold bike as the double Olympic title of Paris 2024, has always been ahead of Pogacar in the three chronometric surveys: 45 “after 10 km on top of the first climb, nyanza, 2.5 km at 5.8%; 1’42” at km 24 on top of the second ascent of nyanza (6.6 km 3.5%: another side); 1’59 “at km 31, at the foot of the third climb, Pege, 2 km to 6%. 5 km from the arrival, Evenepoel sees Pogacar in front, the Slovenian left 2’30” before him, and his strength multiply even more. And it exceeds it when 2000 meters on arrival are missing. Impressive to see the competitive malice of Evenepel, who thought of the time trial from winter, and to get to the best he had decided to anticipate the vaccinations, in order not to have interference in the approach to the World Cup. For the Flemish of the Soudal-Quick Step, which in 2026 will move on to the Red Bull-Coll, a truly champion triumph as it is. Pogacar had never achieved significant results in the stopwatch at the World Cup, always aiming at tests against time in the big stages (1 success at the Giro and 4 on the tour), and had decided to run the time trial in addition to the online test of Sunday 28, the one in which he will seek the consecutive encore after Zurich 2024. The Slovenian, after the fourth triumph at the tour, had returned to the two races in Canada condition. But today he could not do anything against Eventapoel, who had beaten him in the stopwatch on the Tour 2024 and 2025. And he suffered, Pogacar, he was seen from the pedaling not fluid as other times, even swallowed on the handlebar.
Women
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In the women’s field, the first world title for Switzerland Marlene Reusser after two silver and a bronze. At 34, the Reusser, second in the Women round behind Elisa Longo Borghini and first at the Giro di Switzerland, is experiencing her best season: today she dominated the test of 31.2 km (520 meters in altitude) at the average of 43.378 km per hour, in front of the Dutch Anna Van der Bregen, second at 52 “, and Demi Vollering, bronze at 1’04”. The Australian Chapman at 1’21 “and fifth the Norwegian Aalerud at 1’21”. The blue are very far away, never in the run for the best positions: eleventh Monica Trinca Colonel at 3’02 “and 26a, out of 44 classified athletes, Soraya Paladin, at 5’27” by Reusser.
Party
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Meanwhile, this first edition of the World Cup in Africa already scores record numbers. The UCI, the International Federciclismo, has communicated that 108 nations are represented, the second of the always behind the Glasgow 2023 Supermariale (110 countries). And 769 runners are registered, record number compared to 647 of the 2022 World Cup in Wollongg in Australia. In addition, there are 36 African nations with 33.64% of runners, 32% from Europe, 17% from America, 14% from Asia and 1% from Oceania. Uci’s bet is won.
The program
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The World Cup in Rwanda continues on Monday with the under 23 men and women time trials, and the first medals can arrive for Italy. At 10.35 the female test on the distance of 22.6 km: the only blue at the start is Federica Venturelli, 20 -year -old from Cremonese, among our best talents, already on the podium on the podium on the track, road and cyclocross. At 1.35 pm the men’s test on 31.2 km: Alessandro Borgo, 20 -year -old Veneto, who runs in the Bahrain Development formation, and Lorenzo Mark Finn, 18 years old, junior world champion in 2024 and already very launched in professionals with the Red Bull development team. In this season Borgo won the Gand-Wevelgem Under 23 and Finn arrived fourth at the Tour de L’Avenir: they can go to the podium. Saturday the in -female test and Sunday the grand finale with that of the professionals.
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