Will the Elite Men’s World Time Trial Championship come down to a duel between Remco Evenepoel and Tadej Pogacar? Despite Evenepoel being the defending champion and the best time trialist of his generation, Belgian national coach Serge Pauwels sees the Slovenian as a formidable opponent.
The former rider shared his insights on the rivalry and the course in and around Kigali a day before the global title showdown against the clock. What did Pauwels take away from the reconnaissance? "It’s in good shape," he told Sporza. "But it’s tricky, especially that cobbled climb, which is tougher than it looks on the profile."
"They will definitely feel the altitude and the heat during their efforts. That will affect their preparation, but the course is almost completely straightforward. [...] It’s not a climbing time trial like in the Tour, but there are four climbs that matter. They won’t be averaging 40 km/h there. And on those last two, you really have to have something left in the tank. A strong rider with poor pacing can lose a lot of seconds there."
Extra intermediate times
But which rider does the course suit best: time trial specialist Evenepoel or all-round phenomenon Pogacar? "In time trials you follow your own pacing plan, but we will place someone on the penultimate climb to provide an extra intermediate time. Remco wanted some additional split times because that last climb can really make a difference," Pauwels explains.
"It will come down to the legs, but knowing if you have a 1 or 2 second lead or deficit can make a difference. We rate Tadej very highly. I put him alongside Evenepoel as a top favorite. He has also specifically prepared for this."
