The World Championship course for the road race in Kigali next Sunday looks and is, according to Tom Dumoulin, tough, but the riders in Rwanda must contend not only with the many meters of altitude. They also race at around 1,500 meters elevation, which Greg Van Avermaet believes could be a decisive factor in the fight for the world title.
The climax of the World Championships in Rwanda is traditionally the road race for the male professionals. The route is 267.5 kilometers long and includes no less than 5,475 meters of climbing. By comparison: in Zurich, Switzerland (host city of the 2024 Worlds, ed.), the riders had to tackle 4,500 meters of elevation. Most of the World Championships take place on a local circuit of 15.1 kilometers in the capital Kigali.
How does the now-retired Greg Van Avermaet—who himself was part of the Belgian Worlds team fourteen times—view the Rwandan course? "I expect above all a very tough race, with the added travel and the fact that the riders have to race at altitude," he said to Belgian media and WielerFlits. "You definitely shouldn't underestimate that."
"The riders who really want to win will have to seriously adapt. It’s a very demanding Worlds, maybe even tougher than the Worlds in Montreal in 2026. In Rwanda, it’s even more a Worlds for climbers. It's also another chance for Remco (Evenepoel, ed.) to become world champion."
"You can't travel last-minute"
Van Avermaet does see a pitfall for his compatriot and all other participants: racing at altitude. "You especially have to adapt to it. I think Remco already went to a high-altitude training camp in July. Once you have been at altitude, your body adjusts for a certain number of weeks. Then you can handle it, but you cannot travel last-minute and not adapt. You really have to take that into account, because otherwise you lose a lot of your power."
The Olympic champion from Rio has boundless confidence in Evenepoel, by the way. "I think Remco will be in good shape. He can prepare very well for a one-day race. I think he will also be motivated to prove after his transfer (to Red Bull-BORA-Hansgrohe, ed.) that he is really back. And a motivated Remco can come out very strong."
Quinten Hermans, with team leader Evenepoel on his wheel - photo: Cor Vos
Strength in the collective
"I expect a lot from him. He has also already been on a training camp to prepare for the altitude. That will be the biggest danger, to stand at the start well adapted in Rwanda," outlines Van Avermaet, who also believes in the strength of the collective. "The Belgian team is always the squad to watch, especially if there is a strong team leader present. We often have to control and take charge of a Worlds, but I think the team is ready."
