Remco Evenepoel may have slightly spoiled Tadej Pogačar’s birthday celebrations – the Slovenian turned 27 on Sunday – but he definitely lit up the opening day of a historic World Championship, the first ever held on African soil. Rwanda will host the sport’s elite for eight days of racing.
The Belgian star gifted himself a third consecutive world time trial title, a feat previously achieved only by Michael Rogers (2003–2005) and Tony Martin (2011–2013). In the women’s race, Switzerland’s Marlen Reusser finally claimed her long-awaited rainbow jersey, sealing a career-defining victory.
Evenepoel’s triumph carried huge symbolic weight, but it was the manner of his win that impressed even more: with just two kilometers to go, on the steep cobbled climb that capped a technical and selective course, he powered past Pogačar, who had started two and a half minutes earlier. The Slovenian, fresh off his Tour de France victory, missed the podium by a single second. Instead, the honors went to Australia’s Jay Vine – second at 1’14” – and Belgium’s Ilan Van Wilder, who secured third at 2’36” in his first Worlds medal ride.
The top 10 featured no fewer than four standouts from the last Giro d’Italia: Vine, Isaac Del Toro (5th), Luke Plapp (7th), and Thymen Arensman (9th). A reminder that in 2023 Evenepoel briefly wore the Maglia Rosa at the Giro, his rainbow jersey from the 2022 road race hidden beneath, before winning the time trials in Ortona and Cesena.
For Marlen Reusser, the road to her rainbow was different. She discovered the joy of the Maglia Rosa at the last Giro d’Italia Women, winning the opening time trial in Bergamo and finishing second overall, edged out by Elisa Longo Borghini in the final weekend. Two months later, just a day after turning 34, Reusser struck back in style, climbing to the top step of the world podium.
The Swiss champion outpaced two Dutch icons: Anna van der Breggen (four-time Giro Donne winner and three-time world time trial champion) and Demi Vollering, who earlier this season took her second Strade Bianche.
Rounding out the women’s top 10 were plenty of familiar names to Giro Women 2025 fans: Juliette Labous in 7th, behind Brodie Chapman (4th), Katrine Aalerud (5th), and Antonia Niedermaier (6th), while Anna Henderson (8th) and Mireia Benito (10th) completed the list.
