The Japan Times - Pogacar challenge delights Evenepoel for Rwanda world championships

Belgian Evenepoel is the reigning champion in the discipline having also triumphed in 2023.

And while time-trialling is not Pogacar's main strength, he has been crowned Slovenian national champion three times and has won time-trial stages at both the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia.

With twice former world champion Filippo Ganna of Italy -- who finished narrowly second to Evenepoel in the last two years -- missing the event, the Belgian expects Pogacar to provide his main competition.

"I welcome that challenge, so much the better," Evenepoel said when interviewed at the airport on his way to Rwanda earlier this week for what will be the first time the worlds are held in Africa.

The reigning road race world champion Pogacar most notably claimed a time-trial victory on the penultimate stage of the 2020 Tour de France to snatch overall victory away from compatriot Primoz Roglic.

But that was a mountain time-trial and Evenepoel is the man to beat against the clock on flatter courses having never finished lower than third at the world championships.

He also beat Pogacar in a time-trial at the Tour in July and is confident of keeping hold of the world champion's rainbow jersey.

"I want to win as many different jerseys as possible and I have done everything I could possibly have done," Evenepoel said.

"I've trained well, feel well, have good legs and a good vibe. I'm ready," said the 25-year-old.

The men's 40km individual time-trial climbs four hills, one of which is cobbled, but otherwise runs largely on newly laid roads around Kigali.

"It will be unique," said Evenepoel before arriving in Rwanda. "I can't wait to see the place and the people."

The 2025 route is shorter than the usual 50km or so, but the roads are technically challenging -- often narrow, winding and with changing surface quality -- requiring skilful bike handling.

- American Dygert targets treble -

Defending champion Australian Grace Brown is absent from the women's time-trial having retired after winning Paris Olympic gold and the world title last year.

But gutsy American Chloe Dygert, who first won the world time-trial title in 2019 and overcame a serious leg break to triumph again in 2023, is in Rwanda.

Third in 2024, Dygert faces a tough field featuring two talented bike handlers in Dutch duo Demi Vollering and Anna van der Breggen.

Swiss all-rounder Marlen Reusser should also be in the mix while Urska Zigart, who is Pogacar's girlfriend, will be on the start line for Slovenia.

The women's course is the same as the men's, minus the cobbled hill, making it shorter at 31.2km.

The championships last just over a week, culminating with the men's and women's road races next weekend.

T.Ueda--JT