Remco Evenepoel became world champion time trials for the third time in a row earlier this week. On the road the Belgian must settle for silver.
Pogacar: ‘Climbs became increasingly heavier’ Tadej Pogacar is prolonging his world title in Rwanda, after he accelerated with 105 kilometers. “I hoped that there would be a small group, such as what happened to Juan Ayuso and Isaac del Toro. But Juan had a problem and I think del Toro had stomach problems during the race,” says Pogacar in the flash interview. The Slovenian eventually wins after a solo of approximately 65 kilometers. “I am very happy that I made it anyway. The climbs were getting heavier and heavier. But together it was a great experience. Let’s say it was a successful week.”
Shortly after Pogacar crosses the line, he gets a hug from girlfriend Urska Zigart.
We see the biggest smile of all on Ben Healy’s face. The Irishman takes the bronze in Rwanda.
Remco Evenepoel crosses the line shaking. The Belgian takes silver, but came for nothing less than gold.
With this world title, Pogacar also books the 105th victory in his career.
And there is also the bronze for Ben Healy. Skjelmose crosses the line about 30 seconds later.
Evenepoel comes in second, it is still a while to wait for Ben Healy’s upcoming bronze.
Pogacar will be world champion on the road for the second time in a row!
The Slovenian is the eighth male rider ever to prolong his world title.
Another 1.0 km – last kilometer! Pogacar now really with a smile. He knows that for the second time in a row he will be world champion on the road.
Another 1.2 km – Pogacar, Evenepoel, Healy. That seems to be the stage. Or does Skjelmose still have a nice gear at home for place three?
2.3 km – Pogacar is running a cobblestone strip for the last time today. Is it a smile or a grimace on his face? Maybe both, because even with the Slovenian it really has to hurt.
4.9 km – Ben Healy drives away from Skjelmose! The Irishman seems to be assured of bronze here, the Dane is having a hard time.
Another 6.5 km – We have already had a little on and off in the last kilometers, but we have already had the serious climbs.
8.7 km – Arensman is leaving! The Dutchman had dropped very far, and now leaves the course definitively.
10 km – Pogacar is still 10 kilometers away from a second world title in a row.
11 km – Evenepoel currently runs around 35 seconds before Healy and Skjelmose. He seems to have assured himself of the silver.
Still 14 km – Evenepoel crosses the line 1 minute and 27 seconds later. He shakes his head, the Belgian knows that gold is normally no longer feasible.
Another 15 km – well! Pogacar comes over for the second to last time, the bell sounds for the final round! The Slovenian is excellent in Rwanda after six hours (!). Gold beckons for Pogacar, just like last year.
Another 17 km – Evenepoel drove away from Healy and Skjelmose, but is not really closer to Pogacar. The state of affairs:
Another 20 km – Demarrage Evenepoel! The Belgian drives away from Healy and Skjelmose, who can no longer follow. He probably assures himself of silver here, but can he also make the battle for gold exciting?
Tadej Pogacar, if nothing crazy happens, will be world champion on the road for the second year in a row.
Another 26 km – Evenepoel drops to the following car, and gets a gel. The three pursuers drive 1 minute and 20 seconds behind Pogacar. They seem to be fighting for silver and bronze.
28 km – Pogacar steps on the pedals again, while he crosses the finish line. He only has to ride two laps on the local circuit.
Another 35 km – it has become almost normal in the meantime, but it remains bizarre what Pogacar shows here. Evenepoel, Healy and Skjelmose work well together, and they still do not come in an inch closer to the Slovenian leader. In fact, the difference has become slightly larger: 1 minute and 7 seconds .
Another 37 km – Bauke Mollema and Thymen Arensman are currently driving in the fourth group, 4 minutes and 49 seconds behind Pogacar. They don’t seem to be going to live up to it today.
40 km – Pidcock and Hindley can no longer keep up with the pursuit group. Evenepoel, Healy and Skjelmose are the last pursuers. But at the moment they seem to be fighting for silver and bronze.
47 km – Evenepoel will stand on the pedals once again, but Pogacar still has the speed in it. The difference will only dangling around that minute.
Another 47 km – Pogacar gets a moment of the following car, which seems to tell him the time difference with the pursuers. This difference has been 1 minute for almost 20 kilometers.
Another 50 km – Evenepoel, Skjelmose, Pidcock, Hindley and Healy are in the chase, but for the time being the difference with Pogacar is still about 1 minute .
Pogacar and del Toro Earlier on the Mur de Kigali (300 meters at 14.7 percent).
Another 54 km – The pursuers group with Evenepoel is not coming closer to Pogacar for the time being.
Another 59 km – Evenepoel separates itself with Skjelmose, Pidcock, Hindley and Healy from the rest of the pursuers! The Belgian now drives in second position, but at 1 minute behind Pogacar.
Here they still ride together, but now Pogacar is running solo. The Slovenian released his UAE teammate del Toro a few kilometers ago. The first chasing group drives 1 minute behind the reigning world champion.
Another 64 km – The group with Evenepoel and Mollema is now again with the large pursuit group. The club with Ben Healy is just something for that, but that difference is no longer big.
65 km – Demarrage Pogacar! Yes! There the reigning world champion goes anyway. Pogacar has retired long enough for Isaac del Toro, who could no longer keep up with the fast pace. The Mexican Lost, Pogacar hopes to solo the victory from here!
67 km – Arensman is now again affiliated with the large pursuit group. The current state of affairs:
67 km – Michael Matthews also gets off … He was just with the pursuit group. It is starting to become a true wear and tear in Rwanda.
The frustration of Remco Evenepoel portrayed. He just had to wait a very long time for a new bike, so his last chances for a world title were gone today.
71 km – Remco Evenepoel follows 1 minute and 35 seconds behind Pogacar and Del Toro, due to the slow bicycle change of just now. Victor Campenaerts is now also on the side for unknown reasons, the Belgian does not seem to be able to continue.
Another 73 km – Mollema and Arensman also had a hard time on the climb. The two Dutch people now also seem to have disappeared from the pursuit group.
Another 76 km – Evenepoel with a new technical problem! He had just changed bikes, and is now waiting again for the tracking car. But it all takes a very long time, the frustration is increasing with the Belgian. He kicks a bottle angry.
Another 77 km – but the pace of Del Toro is seriously a lot slower! Should Pogacar not continue to drive? The difference with the pursuers drops at lightning speed to 45 seconds .
77 km – Del Toro can no longer keep up on a steep strip! Tadej Pogacar is waiting for his Mexican fellow runner, he does not seem to want to be in the lead now.
Another 77 km – Pogacar and Del Toro still have a 55 -second lead over the pursuit group. Bauke Mollema and Thymen Arensman include, among others, in that chassis group.
The big favorite to become a world champion is, especially with the current price situation, Tadej Pogacar.
86 km – The pursuit group now consists of around 35 riders. Together they drive around 55 seconds behind Pogacar and Del Toro.
89 km – Evenepoel changes from bicycle! Did he have a flat tire?
Another 89 km – Arensman is now also at the forefront of the pursuit group.
Another 90 km – Evenepoel is moving back within the pursuit group. So we can still write it off completely.
Another 90 km – The group with Evenepoel and Arensman finds the connection with the first pursuit group. Together they ride 50 seconds behind the two leaders.
The current state of affairs:
Another 94 km – Isaac del Toro is a good impression. But we still have almost a hundred kilometers to go.
Another 97 km – Bauke Mollema is still pretty good! The Dutchman is in the first pursuit group. Who are there too? Roglic, Skjelmose, Ayuso, Carapaz, Healy, Seixas, Sivakov and Hindley. Not the least names. Remco Evenepoel is back in the group behind it.
Another 98 km – Ayuso has been officially brought up by the peloton. Pogacar and Del Toro ride together about 30 seconds for the first pursuers.
Another 98 km – Pogacar and Del Toro are up! The Mexican looks particularly fresh, can he perhaps prevent a second world title from Pogacar? Of course we still have to go.
Another 99 km – del Toro with a great bet! The Mexican flies up, Pogacar does not follow far behind. Ayuso is really having a hard time.
Another 99 km – The three leaders start at the Mur de Kigali (300 meters to 14.7 kilometers). Give 300 meters everything!
101 km – unbelievable! Del Toro drives in the descent to Pogacar and Ayuso. So we now have three riders from UAE Team Emirates, but today they are of course not teammates.
Another 103 km – Mont Kigali (5.9 kilometers to 6.7 percent) is over. We almost get the Mur de Kigali (300 meters to 14.7 percent). Does Pogacar also drive away from Ayuso?
Another 103 km – Pogacar and Ayuso drove past Bernard at lightning speed. The Slovenian and the Spaniard are therefore the new front runners of the road ride!
Another 104 km – Evenepoel has to release! Oh dear! Bad news for the Belgians … Evenepoel cannot keep the Pogacar wheel and the Slovenian must let go. Only Spaniard Ayuso can still follow him.
Still 104 km – Pogacar and Evenepoel move forward! The Slovenian and the Belgian go away almost unnoticed from the rest of the peloton.
Another 104 km – otherwise Foldager can no longer go in the front. Only Julien Bernard is left of the riders in the front. He drives solo in the lead, about 55 seconds before the peloton.
105 km – Gal Glivar, teammate of Pogacar, must now also let the peloton go. Slovenia still has five riders in the large group.
Another 105 km – attack teammate del Toro! The Mexican Frayre uses the acceleration, and the Slovenians have to go all out in order not to let him drive away. What is Isaac del Toro planning?
106 km – Ivo Oliveira can no longer keep up with the pace halfway through the tough climb of 5.9 kilometers. He must let the leading group go. Only Foldager and Bernard are left of the early flight.
Another 108 km – there is a lot of kicking up by the riders at the front of the peloton. The difference with the leading group drops quickly to 1 minute and 40 seconds .
Another 109 km – The Peloton has the Côte de Péage (2.2 kilometers to 5.8 percent) on it. Not much has happened here with the time differences. The next climb does not take long: the leading group has since started Mont Kigali (5.9 kilometers to 6.7 percent).
Another 117 km – Huising has since been brought up, through the peloton. The Dutchman has been involved in the leading group for a long time, which now only consists of three riders. Foldager, Oliveira and Bernard drive 2 minutes before the leading group.
Pogacar has already lost three teammates (PrimeZic, Zumer and Govekar), Evenepoel one (Van Wilder).
Still 124 km – Huising also leaves the leading group! Over and out for the Dutchman. He has been in the front for a long time, but now has to let himself go. A great performance of the only 21-year-old house.
125 km – García Pierna, Christian and Mayrhofer can no longer keep up with the pace in the leading group. Foldager, Bernard, Huising and Oliveira are still over.
129 km – Mauro Schmid tries to drive away from the peloton. The leading group is not far away. Will the Swiss manage to make the leap?
Another 132 km – The difference between the leading group and the peloton has dropped by 30 seconds in ten minutes .. 1 minute and 30 seconds Menno Huising and his fellow refugees still have now.
Another 138 km – It is still a while to wait for the real spectacle. The price situation has been the same for a while, over 30 kilometers we get three very heavy climbs. It could well be that we get to see an attack by Pogacar or Evenepoel here.
Still 147 km – The pace in the peloton is now a bit higher. The difference between the leading group and the large group is only about 2 minutes .
The Belgians and Slovenians check the course for their leaders Evenepoel and Pogacar. But who is in those teams? Note: Ilan van Wilder has already left the course after a fall.
153 km – Evenepoel is now again affiliated with the Peloton.
Another 157 km – The leading group of seven still has a margin of 2 minutes and 50 seconds . The names once again in a row:
Another 159 km – Remco Evenepoel is back on the road after a sanitary stop in a mobile toilet. Does he suffer from abdominal complaints? Check the Belgians at the head of the peloton.
161 km – Remco Evenepoel puts himself every now and then in the lead of the peloton, but not too long.
Another 172 km – Plas break for Tadej Pogacar, but the rest of the peloton will continue to drive for the time being. Two Slovenian teammates let themselves go to the peloton back to the peloton.
As you can see at the top of this live blog: we already have quite a few dropouts. The expectation is that a few will be added after the three heavy climbs, just after half of the stage. In succession we then get:
Another 181 km – as expected: Belgium and Slovenia lead the dance. We almost only see the peloton blue and green at the front, which drives behind the leading group for about 2 minutes and 30 seconds .
Evenepoel is in the best form of the season, Remco Evenepoel is the best Evenepoel of the season at the moment? “Yes, I think that is yes. I am satisfied with the form that I finally got this season,” says the Belgian in front of Sporza ‘s camera. “We must be conservative and be ready for multiple situations. It is difficult to predict the circumstances in advance.”
Another 193 km – The Belgians and Slovenians are now pulling a lot at the head of the peloton! Do they perhaps hit a hole here with the rest of the large group?
One of the protagonists of the race so far! Eric Manizabayo has already shown its own audience a few times. The Rwandese drove twice in front of the peloton, after which he let himself go to the large group again.
The solid fall of previously in the race. Marc Soler, Bjoern Koerdt and Ilan van Wilder have left the road ride after the smack against the asphalt.
Still 199 km – The engine with the time difference on a sign passes the leading group with Menno Huising: 2 minutes and 55 seconds is the margin of the seven at the front compared to the peloton.
Another 205 km – Manizabayo has since been added again, the Rwandese has driven a few kilometers in the spotlight!
“Hope we can come along for as long as possible” “We have to wait and see how to track,” Van den Broek continues. “I expect Belgium and especially Slovenia to put a penalty pace to check. Then it is up to us to save as well as possible and hope that we will have enough left over to be able to take as long as possible.”
Van den Broek also suffered from the stomach, but Sam Oomen did not start today because of stomach flu, but Frank van den Broek also had complaints this week. “I have had some stomach complaints since Thursday. But since yesterday things are going better,” Van den Broek tells NOS . “I am healthy, but I am now particularly curious what my form is. Of course I was unable to complete the last training.”
Another 209 km – small technical problem for Frank van den Broek, but the Dutchman resolves it himself. It seems that his chain flew off for a while.
Another 210 km – unbelievable! Eric Manizabayo just goes again. The Rwandese runs away from the peloton again, at a point on the course where it is very busy. The audience goes crazy, and a broad smile appears on the face of Manizabayo.
Another 217 km – Soler finally leaves. He fell hard and now has to strike the fight. The Spaniard shakes the head.
Another 219 km – Van Wilder gets back on his bike for a while, but you can hardly imagine that he will now cycle 219 kilometers.
Remco Evenepoel was Crowned Time Trial World Champion for the Third Time in A Row Earlier This Week. In The Road Race, The Belgian Has to Settle for Silver.
Pogacar: ‘The Climbs Got Tougher and Tougher’ Tadej Pogacar Extends His World Title in Rwanda, After Accelerating With 105 Kilometers To Go. “I was hoping a small group would form, like what happened with juan ayuso and isaac del toro. But Juan had a problem and del toro had stomach problems. The Slovenian Angelly Wins After a Solo or About 65 kilometers. “I’m very happy that I made it. The climbs got tougher and tougher. But all in all it was a great experience. Let’s say it was a successful week.”
Shortly after pogacar crosses the finish line, he gets a hug from girlfriend urska zigart.
The Biggest Smile of All is on the face of Ben Healy. The Irishman Takes Bronze in Rwanda.
Remco Evenepoel Crosses the Finish Line Shaking His Head. The Belgian Takes Silver, But Came for Nothing Less Than Gold.
With this world title, pogacar also books the 105th victory of his career.
And there is also The Bronze for Ben Healy. Skjelmose Crosses the Finish Line About 30 Seconds later.
Evenepoel Comes in Second, We Are Still Waiting for the Upcoming Bronze or Ben Healy.
Pogacar Becomes World Champion on the road for the second time in a row!
The Slovenian is the Eighth Male Rider Ever to Extend His World Title.
1.0 km to go – last kilometer! Pogacar now really with a smile. He knows that he is going to be world champion on the road for the second time in a row.
1.2 km to go – Pogacar, Evenepoel, Healy. That seems to be the stage. Or Does skjelmose still have a nice acceleration in store for third place?
2.3 km to go – pogacar rides over a cobbled section for the last time today. Is it a smile or a grimace on his face? Maybe Both, because just the slovenian must be in pain now.
4.9 km to go – Ben Healy Rides Away from Skjelmose! The Irishman Seems to Be Securing Bronze Here, The Dane is Having A Hard Time.
6.5 km to go – it goes up and down a bit in the last kilometers, but we have already had the serious climbs.
8.7 km to go – Arensman Drops Out! The Dutchman had Fallen Far Behind and Is Now Leaving the Race for Good.
10 km to go – Pogacar is 10 kilometers away from a second world title in a row.
11 km to go – Evenepoel is Currently about 35 Seconds Ahead of Healy and Skjelmose. He seems to have secured the silver.
14 km to go – Evenepoel Crosses the Finish Line 1 minute and 27 seconds later. He Shakes His Head, The Belgian Knows That Gold is Normally No Longer Achievable.
15 km to go – well! Pogacar Crosses the Finish Line for the Second to Last Time, the Bell Sounds for the Last Lap! The Slovenian is in Excellent Shape in Rwanda After Six Hours (!) Or Racing. Gold Beckons for Pogacar, Just Like Last Year.
17 km to go – Evenepoel Has Ridden Away from Healy and Skjelmose, but is not really getting closer to pogacar. The State of Affairs:
20 km to go – Evenepoel Attacks! YES! The Belgian Rides Away from Healy and Skjelmose, Who Can No Longer Follow. He is probable securing silver here, but can he also make the battle for gold exciting?
Tadej Pogacar Will Be World Champion on the Road for the Second Year in a Row, If Nothing Crazy Happens.
26 km to go – Evenepoel Drops Back to the Team Car For A Moment and Gets A Gel. The three pursuers are 1 minute and 20 Seconds Behind Pogacar. They seem to be Fighting for Silver and Bronze.
28 km to go – pogacar steps on the pedals again as he crosses the finish line. He only has to ride two more laps on the local circuit.
35 km to go – it has almost Become normal by now, but it remains bizarre what pogacar is showing here. Evenepoel, Healy and Skjelmose Work Well Together, and Yet They Don’t get a centimeter Closer to the Slovenian Leader. In fact, The Difference Has Now Become Slightly Larger: 1 minute and 7 Seconds .
37 km to go – Bauke Mollema and Thymen Arensman Are Currently in the Fourth Group, 4 minutes and 49 Seconds Behind Pogacar. They don’t see able to make it happen today.
40 km to go – Pidcock and Hindley Can No Longer Keep Up With The Pursuers Group. Evenepoel, Healy and Skjelmose are the last pursuers. But at the moment they mainly seem to be fighting for silver and bronze.
47 km to go – Evenepoel Steps on the Pedals Again, but Pogacar is Still Going Strong. The Difference Remains around that minute.
47 km to go – Pogacar is Letterly Joined by the Team Car, which Seems to Be Counts Him the Time Difference with the Pursuers. This Difference has leg 1 minute for Almost 20 kilometers.
50 km to go – Evenepoel, Skjelmose, Pidcock, Hindley and Healy Are In The Chase, But for the Time Being the Difference with Pogacar is Still Around 1 minute .
Pogacar and del Toro Earlier on the Mur de Kigali (300 meters at 14.7 percent).
54 km to go – The Pursuers Group with Evenepoel is not getting a second closer to pogacar for the time being.
59 km to go – Evenepoel Separates himself from the rest of the pursuers Together with skjelmose, Pidcock, Hindley and Healy! The Belgian is now in Second Position, but 1 minute behind Pogacar.
Here they are Still Riding Together, but in the meeanime pogacar is riding solo at the head. The Slovenian Dropped His Uae Teammate del Toro A Few Kilometers AGO. The First Chasing Group is 1 minute behind the reigning world champion.
64 km to go – The Group with Evenepoel and Mollema is now back with the Large Chasing Group. The Club with Ben Healy is just ahead of that, but that difference is not that big anymore.
65 km to go – Pogacar attacks! YES! There Goes The Reigning World Champion. Pogacar Has Held Back Long Enough for Isaac del Toro, Who Could No Longer Keep Up With The High Pace. The Mexican Drops, Pogacar Hopes to Solo to Victory From Here!
67 km to go – Arensman Has Now Rejoined the Large Chasing Group. The Current State of Affairs:
67 km to go – Michael Matthews also drops out … he was just with the chasing group. It is starting to Become a Real Battle of Attrition in Rwanda.
The Frustration of Remco Evenepoel in the Picture. He just had to wait a very long time for a new bike, so his last chancs of a world title today have bone ruined.
71 km to go – Remco Evenepoel Follows 1 minute and 35 Seconds Behind Pogacar and del Toro, Due to the Slow Bike Change Just Now. Victor Campenaerts is also on the side for unknown reasons, The Belgian Does Not Seem to Be Able to Continue.
73 km to go – Mollema and Arensman also had a hard time on the climb. The Two Dutchmen also seem to have disappeared from the pursuers group.
76 km to go – Evenepoel with a new technical problem! He had just changed bikes and is now waiting for the team car again. But it all take a very long time, the frustration incides with the Belgian. Heg Angly Kicks Away A Water Bottle.
77 km to go – but del Toro’s pace is seriously a lot slower! Shouldn’t Pogacar Just Keep Going? The Difference With The Pursuers is Rapidly Dropping to 45 Seconds .
77 km to go – del toro can no longer keep up on a steep stretch! Tadej Pogacar is Waiting for his Mexican Co-Leader, he Doesn’t Seem to Want To Go Solo At The Head Now.
77 km to go – Pogacar and del Toro Still Have A Lead of 55 Seconds Over The Chasing Group. Bauke Mollema and Thymen Arensman Are Among Others in That Chasing Group.
The Big Favorite to Become World Champion is, Especiate with the Current Race Situation, Tadej Pogacar.
86 km to go – The Chasing Group Now consists of about 35 riders. Together They Ride About 55 Seconds Behind Pogacar and Del Toro.
89 km to go – Evenepoel Changes Bikes! Did he have a flat tire?
89 km to go – Arensman is now also Putting himself at the head of the pursuers group.
90 km to go – Evenepoel is Moving Back to the Front Within the Pursuers Group. We can’t write him off complete yet.
90 km to go – The Group with Evenepoel and Arensman Connects with the First Pursuers Group. Together They Ride 50 Seconds Behind the Two Leaders.
The Current State of Affairs:
94 km to go – Isaac del Toro is making a seriously good impression. But we still have almost a hundred kilometers to go.
97 km to go – Bauke Mollema is Still Doing Pretty Well! The Dutchman is in The First Chasing Group. Who are there too? Roglic, Skjelmose, Ayuso, Carapaz, Healy, Seixas, Sivakov and Hindley. Not the Least of Names. Remco Evenepoel is again in the Group Behind that.