Slovenia has confirmed its powerhouse squad for the upcoming UCI Road World Championships Kigali 2025, and at the heart of it is none other than two-time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogačar.
Tadej Pogačar for back to back World Champion titles
Pogačar heads to Kigali as the defending world champion, having claimed his first rainbow jersey in 2024 with a spectacular 100-kilometer solo breakaway. This season, the Slovenian superstar has been unstoppable, adding the Tour des Flandres, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and the Tour de France to his palmarès, making him the clear favorite to defend his crown.
The road race will be fought on a punishing 267.5 km course, including 15 laps of a hilly Kigali circuit with the steep ascents of Kimihurura (1.3 km at 6.3%) and Kigali (0.8 km at 8.1%), plus a demanding climb of Mont Kigali (5.9 km at 6.9%), crested just under 100 km from the finish.
Team Slovenia Men’s Elite Selection
Tadej Pogačar is the outspoken leader of the Slovenian Team and will be joined by a glittering lineup featuring Primož Roglič, another Grand Tour legend, Matej Mohorič, Domen Novak, Luka Mezgec, Matevž Govekar, Gal Glivar, Jaka Primožič, and Matic Žumer.
Before that, Pogačar will also line up for the individual time trial, where he’ll be Slovenia’s sole representative. On the women’s side, his partner Urška Žigart (AG Insurance–Soudal) will fly the Slovenian flag both in the time trial on September 21 and the road race on September 27.
With just 11 days to go, the stage is set for an epic showdown. While Pogačar will lead Slovenia’s charge, he won’t be the only superstar in the spotlight; rivals like Remco Evenepoel and Thymen Arensman are also expected to light up Kigali, promising one of the most thrilling battles the Worlds have ever seen.
