The men’s elite individual time trial discipline was contested on a 40.6-kilometer route from Kigali and back. The route featured four categorized climbs in the country, which is known as the land of a thousand hills.

The 2025 UCI World Championships are held in Rwanda in east-central Africa. The UCI Road Cycling World Championships are contested in Africa for the first time in history. Rwanda borders Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Thirty-six nations were represented in the men’s elite time trial, though many popular time trial experts had chosen not to participate in this year’s World Championships because of its geographic location or the time trial route profile. Prominent participants included Remco Evenepoel (Belgium), Tadej Pogacar, (Slovenia), Isaac del Toro (Mexico), Stefan Küng (Switzerland), Jay Vine (Australia), and Thymen Arensman (Netherlands).

Riders from various African nations were the first to leave the start ramp, which was located inside a sports arena and convention center. Rwanda’s Shemu Nsengiyumva started his time trial to tribal music produced by local drummers while advertising banners invited spectators to Visit Rwanda.

Florian Vermeersch set an early fastest time and entered the hot seat for Belgium. Michael Leonard later replaced him, and Canada was now in the lead. The lead of the young Canadian rider, however, was short-lived, and Ilan van Wilder took over the hot seat.

Switzerland’s Stefan Küng started his time trial. The Swiss powerhouse had today’s time trial as a major season goal after a somewhat disappointing 2025 season.

Tadej Pogacar also left the start ramp, and he was clearly regarded as one of the favorites to take the victory in the individual time trial discipline for Slovenia. The event took place on his birthday. 

Defending World Champion Remco Evenepoel also started his time trial to the sound of much applause from the spectators inside the sports arena.

Isaac del Toro and Jay Vine set the two fastest times at intermediate timing point 1, followed by Frenchman Bruno Armirail. But other time trial riders were yet to reach the same timing point.

The following kilometers proved difficult for Del Toro, and the Mexican rider was just third-fastest at Intermediate timing point 2.

Birthday boy Pogacar set a new second-fastest time at Intermediate Timing Point 1. He was less than a second behind del Toro at this point. However, it did not take long before Evenepoel set a new fastest time at Intermediate Timing Point 1. The Belgian rider had a point to prove after his early exit from this year’s Tour de France.

Andreas Leknessund (Norway) set the second-fastest time at the finish line, followed by Luke Plapp of Australia.

Jay Vine set a new fastest time at Intermediate Timing Point 2, while del Toro was third-fastest when he reached Intermediate Timing Point 3. Later, Vine proved even faster at timing point 3 and just a few kilometers now remained for the Australian rider, who had also been successful in the recent Vuelta a Espana.

Belgium’s Evenepoel set a new fastest time at Intermediate Timing Point 3 ahead of Vine, Van Wilder and Pogacar.

Jay Vine proved the fastest man when he crossed the finish line and replaced Ilan Van Wilder in the hot seat. Vine was now ahead of van Wilder and del Toro, but Evenepoel was riding fast, and he was yet to finish his individual time trial as was spectator-favorite Pogacar.

Stefan Küng finished in a new tenth-best time.

Remco Evenepoel crossed the finish line in a new fastest time as winner of the men’s elite individual time trial of the 2025 UCI Road World Championships. Evenepoel won the gold medal for Belgium, while Jay Vine took silver for Australia. Ilan van Wilder won the bronze medal by finishing third. Tadej Pogacar finished fourth in today’s time trial discipline.

Stay tuned to Roadcycling.com for additional coverage from the 2025 UCI Road Cycling World Championships.