On a day of racing marked by minor attacks from riders within the large lead group, the decisive moment of Stage 5 at the Nedbank Gravel Burn came down to the summit finish on Swaershoek Pass near Cradock in the Eastern Cape.

Germany’s Andreas Seewald (Singer KTM Racing) was the first to pull away from the group, but he was almost instantly reeled in by Tom Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling) at the 133km mark of the 137km-long stage. Pidcock surged and claimed his first stage win of the 2025 Nedbank Gravel Burn. Seewald rolled over the line in second place, with Simon Pellaud (Tudor Pro Cycling) third on the day.

“It looked to me to be the easiest stage, with only one climb to do,” said Pidcock, “That’s why I thought I would have a go. But it was actually Alistair Brownlee’s idea. He persuaded me… Right at the end of the stage, he told me to go for it, so I did. Everyone has been saying to me, ‘You should try to win a stage’. But the riding is tough. I have been suffering all year. I don’t want to suffer here!”

‘LOVING THIS EVENT’

After some light suffering on the final climb of Stage 5, Pidcock is back to enjoying himself in the Burn Camp. “I am loving this event. Everything is very cool. A highlight for me has been the camaraderie among all the riders, eating with everyone, sitting around the fire at night, and just getting to know all the other participants.”

Two riders getting to know each other very well at the Nedbank Gravel Burn are Beers and Pellaud. Over five days of racing, the General Classification top two are almost inseparable.

Beers appeared to take his foot off the gas slightly, riding defensively, rarely spending much time at the front. Instead, after a few early attacks from Marco Joubert (Imbuko ChemChamp Specialized) and Lukas Baum (Orbea x Leatt Speed Company), it was Lukas Pöstlberger (Rose Racing Circle) and Cameron Wurf who put the most effort into the racing. Wurf sat at the front of the group for long stretches, with Pöstlberger taking over in the latter half of the stage.

When asked by the other riders on the finish line why he was racing so hard, Pöstlberger replied drily, “If I wasn’t putting that pace down so hard, you guys would have been out there for another hour!”. Pellaud offered his thanks in the shape of cool refreshments, “Beer on me tonight, Lukas!”.

ALL ON THE LINE

With two stages remaining, everything is on the line for Beers and Pellaud. “Day five is normally my worst day on these stage races,” said Beers.

“I didn’t feel bad, but the heat definitely affected me today. Coming up to the climb, Simon attacked me there. I knew he would, so I just had to hold my own pace and not get overexcited. I lost about 24 seconds in the end. It sucks to lose the time, but it could have been worse.

"At one point, I think he had gained 40 seconds on me, so it’s not too bad. I just did everything I could to stay in touch. We still have two big days left – we are quite even, so it’s going to be tight. I think my technical skills could give me the advantage over the next two days, but I have no idea what we are really in for.”

Pellaud was happy with his ride, but felt he needed to eat a little more into Beers’ lead. “I made some time, but not enough time! Not enough time! That was definitely the plan today, to try and chip away at Matt’s lead, but I am not a climber, so I couldn’t get away from him.

"I just pushed the pedals as much as I could for as long as I could. I don’t think it was enough. I didn’t ever feel like I could make up time on him today, so the result is a bit of a bonus.”

Simon Pellaud (Tudor Pro Cycling) of Switzerland finally achieved what he’d been threatening to do since race registration on Saturday, winning Stage 3 of the Nedbank Gravel Burn with a well-timed counter-attack on the finish line at Blaauwater Farm on Tuesday.

French rider Hugo Drechou (Numéro31.cc / Pinarello) was second, just a few seconds behind Pellaud, with South African Travis Stedman (Team Toyota Specialized) rounding out the podium places.

Overall leader Matt Beers (Specialized Off-Road Toyota) was fourth on the day and maintains a one-minute lead over Pellaud in the general classification after three stages. Lukas Baum (Orbea x Leatt Speed Company) is third in the GC.

After a few early attacks from a handful of riders, Pellaud labelled the Pro Men’s race as something of a ‘drag race’ for much of the first half of the stage, with riders keeping a close eye on each other. “Everyone in the bunch was together, waiting for something to happen,” said the Stage 3 winner. “I think we were all waiting for the big challenge of the day for the racing to start, and that’s exactly what happened on the climb.”

PATIENCE WINS

The Pro Men’s field started their day with a short neutral ride out of the historic and today exuberant – thanks to the local school marimba band – Graaff-Reinet, before turning on to the gravel roads.

Almost immediately, Austrian rider Lukas Pöstlberger (Rose Racing Circle) attacked. South Africa’s Tristan Nortje went with the Austrian, but a dropped chain for Nortje meant that Pöstlberger was all alone at the front of the race; the bunch sat a minute behind and showed little interest in chasing down the one-man breakaway.

The effort of a solo ride into a headwind soon took its toll. First, Nortje caught Pöstlberger on the way up to the first major climb of the day, with the chasers eventually dropping the early Austrian pacesetter. After the climb, a group of 12 riders dominated the proceedings, with Marco Joubert (Imbuko ChemChamp Specialized) spending some time out front, as well as the USA’s Chad Haga (FELT Racing) with Joubert and Haga taking turns to attack.

“By now the bunch was broken up, and I saw that Lukas (Baum) was struggling,” said Pellaud. “I said to Matt (Beers), let’s go, but he didn’t come with me. I think he was battling after two days of hard riding.” From the 80km mark, the lead had whittled down to eight riders.

With a few kilometres to go, the lead group found themselves jostling for position before gradual climb before a short drop to the finish. The pace steadied as riders collected their resolve in an effort to power up for one final push. Frenchman Drechou was the first to launch, but mistimed his attack on the final summit. Pellaud was able to breach across to Drechou and surge ahead to claim a hard-earned, tactically astute stage win.

“Normally, I am way too aggressive and impulsive,” said Pellaud. “But today I tried to control myself a bit more to keep some gas for the final attack. Yesterday, the end of the stage was way too technical for me, but I knew today would be a good final for me if I just stayed patient.”

Third on the day and the first South African to cross the line, Travis Stedman, echoed Pellaud’s statements. “All the action came on the first climb. It was really steep, and there were a few attacks; the bunch would come back together and split on the descents.

"By the end of the stage, there were about 10 of us all together. Simon attacked – too early, I thought – but he timed it perfectly in the end, and I maybe should have gone with him too, but I was waiting and then left it too late. It was a good day of racing, but hard on the body. The corrugated trail and sand made it a real challenge.”

SA PODIUM FOR THE WOMEN

Lauren Stephens (Aegis Cycling Foundation) of the United States timed a final attack to perfection on the 90km Stage 3 of the Nedbank Gravel Burn to claim the win after a day of tactical racing in the Pro Women’s race. South Africa’s Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Insurance Soul) finished as the runner-up on the stage.

Haley Smith (Trek Driftless / MAAP / COROS / The Feed) of Canada finished third on a stage which featured six riders in contention for victory up until the very final metres.

Axelle Dubau-Prevot (Numéro 31 par Café du Cycliste / Pinarello) was fourth on the day and maintains her overall lead in the general classification; Moolman-Pasio is second on the GC, just 12 seconds behind Dubau-Prevot.

Matt Beers (Specialized Off-Road – Toyota) won Stage 1 of the inaugural Nedbank Gravel Burn on 26 October, finishing the cold and wet 84km stage from Knysna to Avontuur one second ahead of Swiss rider Andri Frischknecht (Scott SRAM). Hugo Drechou of France finished third on the day, crossing the line alongside Frischknecht.

Beers, who grew up in the Garden Route region, is always the hometown favourite when he starts a race in South Africa and didn’t disappoint with a commanding performance from start to finish.

He started well in testing conditions alongside fellow South African riders Tristan Nortje, Marco Joubert (both IMBUKO ChemChamp), and Travis Steadman (Team Toyota Specialized), and soon began asserting his authority on the proceedings on the final climb of the day. Fresh off the plane from the United States and victory at The Big Sugar Classic just 15 days ago, Beers looks to be the man to beat on home soil.

With 15km to go and the bulk of that distance climbing up the historic Prince Alfred’s Pass, Beers pulled away from the pro field with Drechou and Frischknecht in tow. Drechou made a handful of efforts to drop the two-time South African Gravel Champion, while Frischknecht was digging deep to stay in touch with the two front riders.

Ultimately, Beers summited first putting himself in pole position for the twisting, technical descent into the Avontuur finish to claim the coveted crown of the first stage winner of the first-ever Nedbank Gravel Burn.

“It’s actually very cool to win the first stage of a new event,” said Beers.

“I feel like it was my duty to put in a big effort today to be the first person to wear the Assos Ember leader jersey. The conditions were gnarly out there; it was wet and really cold, but I had done my homework in the week leading up to the race and studied the route well, so I knew exactly where I needed to ease off, attack, or take charge of the racing.

"I knew it was quite a technical finish, so I just wanted to get into the front on the final few kilometres to hold the chasers off. I was able to do that; right at the end, I was a little confused because I couldn’t see the actual finish line, but happy to take the win on a tough day.”

Outside of the Beers’ victory, the story of the day was the weather. Rain pummeled Knysna from the early hours of the morning, with the pro riders and 500 entrants leaving Knysna just as the heavy rains abated. Reports from the route labelled the gravel trail ‘slow and sticky’, with riders needing to pick their lines carefully.

After a short neutral start to get out of town, the racing began with the all-South African attack on the first climb up Simola Hill, before a group of 20 riders settled into the lead.

Among the early pacesetters alongside Beers, Drechou, and Frischknecht were Simon Pellaud (Tudor Pro Cycling), Lukas Baum (Orbea x Leatt Speed Company), and Luis Neff (Rose Racing Circle). Baum and Neff both had turns leading the race, but in the end, the gravel racing nous and power of Beers was too much for the pro field.

“I gave everything I had to be the first person in the leader’s jersey,” said Drechou, “but everyone was waiting for that last climb, and when it came, Matt just raised the tempo. I tried to follow him; he was just stronger towards the end. It is six days to go, though, and we are all eager to make our mark on this event.”

Stage 2 of the Nedbank Gravel Burn will take riders from Avontuur to the mohair farming region of Willowmoore. At 108km long with 1150m of climbing, the pro field will no doubt be ready to shake off Stage 1’s mud and raise the race temperature.

Pro Men Stage 1 Results

1 Matt Beers – Specialized Off-Road – Toyota – 2:54:19

2 Andri Frischknecht – Scott Sram – 2:54:20

3 Hugo Drechou – Numéro31.cc / Pinarello – 2:54:20

4 Tristan Nortje- IMBUKO ChemChamp – 2:55:07

5 Simon Pellaud – Tudor Pro Cycling – 2:55:08

Dutch sprint king Harrie Lavreysen became the first cyclist to win four gold medals at the same UCI Track Cycling World Championships on Sunday as he rounded off a remarkable week of domination by winning the sprint.

Lavreysen had already won the team sprint, the keirin and the 1km time trial in Santiago heading in to the final day of racing and he proved unstoppable again.

Britain's Matthew Richardson, who switched allegiance from Australia after last year's Olympics, had the task of trying to deny Lavreysen in the final but could make no impression as the Dutch powerhouse won both heats.

The 28-year-old now has an incredible 20 world titles across the various track disciplines to go along with his five Olympic golds, three of which came in Paris last year.

Chasing record after record 🥳

Harrie Lavreysen 🇳🇱 makes history once again at #Santiago2025, claiming his 20th UCI World Champion title after winning the Men’s Sprint! 🌈

📸 SWpix pic.twitter.com/RRPYiEYOzc

— UCI Track Cycling (@UCI_Track) October 26, 2025

"This is unbelievable," said Lavreysen. "Coming here, I didn't think I could do it (win four golds), though it was always in the back of my mind.

"And winning the sprint means so much, it's the main event and today everything just came together. I just love the work, the process and the competition."

Your Men’s Sprint podium at #Santiago2025 🏆

🥇 Harrie Lavreysen 🇳🇱
🥈 Matthew Richardson 🇬🇧
🥉 Leigh Hoffman 🇦🇺

📸 SWpix pic.twitter.com/FT2EbHf7x3

— UCI Track Cycling (@UCI_Track) October 26, 2025

Japan's Mina Sato won the women's keirin gold medal on Sunday, edging out Britain's two-time sprint world champion Emma Finucane in the final to retain the title she won last year.

Mexico's Yareli Acevedo Mendoza won the women's points race from Britain's Anna Morris.

Italian former Olympic omnium champion Elia Viviani marked the last race of his illustrious career in perfect fashion by winning the gold medal in the men's elimination race.

The 2026 Tour of Spain will start on the sinuous streets of Monaco, the famed home of Formula One's iconic Grand Prix, organisers announced on Saturday.

Next year's Vuelta a Espana will begin with a 9.6 kilometre time-trial in the Principality on Saturday, August 22, taking in many landmarks made famous by the F1 circuit.

Riders will start the three-week race at the Place du Casino and end the opening stage on Boulevard Albert Ier, where the chequered flag is waved each year at the end of the grand prix.

Monaco becomes the first venue to stage the start of each of cycling's 'Big Three' events after the Giro d'Italia in 1966 and the 2009 Tour de France.

Matthew Richardson described his first world championship medal for Britain as "bittersweet" after again losing out to the unstoppable Dutch in the team sprint in Santiago on Wednesday.

The opening day of the UCI Track World Championships marked the 26-year-old Richardson's debut for Britain in the event since he switched allegiance from Australia last year.

He ended up with a silver medal as part of the team sprint squad that lost to Harrie Lavreysen's Dutch team in the final.

"Coming away with a silver medal is bittersweet for me," Richardson, who won the team sprint world title for Australia in 2022, said.

"My first medal at a world championships in a GB skinsuit is going to feel amazing. I wish it was the top step.

"But I can't come away too mad about that."

It would have been a huge surprise if Britain had prevented the Dutch from winning team sprint world gold for the seventh time in the last eight years, especially as it was the same orange trio who blazed to Olympic gold last year.

The final was close, however, and Richardson appeared to keep pace with Lavreysen during the second lap with Britain ahead when he peeled off, only for Jeffery Hoogland to catch Hamish Turnbull to give the Dutch victory by 0.37 seconds.

"It's the closest we've ever been to the Dutch and it's a really positive first step in the cycle (to the 2028 LA Olympics)," Richardson's teammate Joe Truman said.

Richardson, who won three medals for Australia at the Paris Olympics, will get another crack at Lavreysen in the individual event and the keirin. Lavreysen's world championship gold medal tally now stands at 17.

Britain's four-time Olympic track cycling medallist Jack Carlin announced his retirement on Wednesday saying he could no longer give 100 per cent to the sport after a decade of near misses.

The 28-year-old Scottish sprinter took home a bronze and a silver from the Paris Olympics as he did at the Tokyo Games and also was a three-times world championship silver medallist.

But he will not be going for gold in Los Angeles in 2028.

"I took a bit of time away (after Paris) to try and find that fire and urge to go again for another four years," Carlin, whose role modal was fellow Scot and British cycling great Chris Hoy, told reporters in a conference call on Tuesday.

"I got myself back into physical kind of fighting shape, just the motivation never came back to really feel like I could throw myself back into it for another long period."

Despite a stellar career Carlin never managed to win a gold medal at a major championships, largely due to the fact he was competing in the same era as Dutch sprint king Harrie Lavreysen.

He was beaten by Lavreysen in the semifinal rides in the sprint at both the Tokyo and Paris Olympics and was also part of the British team beaten to gold by the Dutch in the team sprint at both of those Olympics. Lavreysen also ended Carlin's quest for gold at the 2023 worlds on his home Glasgow track.

Asked if the five-time Olympic champion would give him sleepless nights in retirement, Carlin said he has no regrets about taking on arguably the greatest track cyclist of all time.

"I think the beauty of it is that at least I was there giving it that, I gave 100 per cent to the programme and I gave my life to it and really buckled down," he said.

"There's not many people who have rubbed shoulders with (Lavreysen) on a regular basis and even to be in the same picture, talking to him and sharing podiums. He is one of the best, if not the best in our sport.

"I don't think anyone's actually ever achieved the feats that he's achieved in terms of back-to-back wins.

"So, no, I won't wake up in cold sweats. I think I'm truly happy with what I have achieved. If I was to look back and say to 18-year-old Jack, listen, you're going to walk away in 10 years' time with four Olympic medals, I'd be proud of that."

Carlin said he had been tempted to stick around for next year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

"That's probably the biggest temptation was the home Games representing Scotland. But I think I'd be doing myself a disservice. I'm not 100 per cent in it anymore. I don't miss having aches and pains every day. I don't miss being sore walking up a set of stairs. I don't miss any of these things."

The Nedbank Gravel Burn has partnered with Red Bull South Africa to launch Night Burn, a Chase the Fox style criterium (for a select few) taking place after Stage 3 in Blaauwater on 28 October.

Bonfires will light the loop at the Burn Camp, music from live DJs, powered by Red Bull, will carry through the camp and the cheers of fellow riders will create a race atmosphere unlike anything else.

Qualification comes through the Red Bull KM, a feature Red Bull has showcased at other international events including the Giro d’Italia and World Marathon Majors. At the Giro, riders contest a one kilometre sprint that awards valuable time bonuses, while in endurance running and triathlon it has been used to add drama and intensity to otherwise routine segments.

The format makes its gravel debut at the Nedbank Gravel Burn where riders will race a one kilometre sprint segment on Stage 2. Their sprint position will be compared with their general classification standing after Stage 2, and those showing the greatest improvement will qualify for Night Burn.

This approach rewards riders further back in the field, giving them a rare chance to take centre stage in one of the week’s headline spectacles. Up to 40 will qualify, a mix of age-group riders earning their place through the Red Bull KM and invited athletes who will add extra firepower to the show.

Participation is optional and riders will be able to opt in prior to the race. The results will not affect general classification and each participating rider will receive an Assos Nedbank Gravel Burn jersey, with additional prizes awarded to those who manage to outrun the foxes.

OLYMPIC CHAMP

“There was no one better who could own a moment like this,” said Kevin Vermaak, founder of the Nedbank Gravel Burn.

“It is going to be fun and fast, for those riding and those watching. Red Bull are here to energise every rider, from the fastest to the last finisher and this will be a celebration that becomes part of the fabric of this race.”

At the heart of Night Burn will be the fox, cycling superstar Tom Pidcock. A 2x Olympic champion and arguably the most versatile rider of his generation, he is also lining up for the full Nedbank Gravel Burn.

On Tuesday evening in Blaauwater he will take on a different role, setting off behind the qualifiers and chasing them down under the lights. For those in front it will be a test of nerve and pacing.

For their fellow riders watching from the camp it will be a rare chance to see one of cycling’s biggest names bring his speed and flair to this exciting format.

WHAT IS GRAVEL BURN?

The Nedbank Gravel Burn is a seven-day, 800km gravel-stage race taking place from 26 October to 1 November through South Africa’s diverse landscapes.

From lush coastal forests to the vast Great Karoo, riders enjoy remote camps under starry skies and conclude their journey at Shamwari Private Game Reserve, encountering Africa’s iconic Big Five wildlife.

Tadej Pogacar is red-hot favourite to match a feat only ever achieved by cycling icon Eddy Merckx as the Slovenian superstar bids to win the Tour of Lombardy for the fifth consecutive year.

No-one but Merckx has ever won three Monument races in the same season but world champion Pogacar is on course to cap another remarkable year by equalling that record at the "Race of the Falling Leaves" on Saturday.

In April, the Team UAE rider won both the Tour of Flanders and Liege-Bastogne-Liege having also finished second at Paris-Roubaix, while a month earlier he was third at Milan-San Remo, meaning he has finished on the podium of all four Monument races so far this season.

Merckx managed a trio of Monument victories four times in his career and has a record 19 wins in the prestigious one-day classics.

Cycling's Monuments are tougher than the regular one-day classics mainly due to their length, and the route for the 2025 Giro di Lombardia is a hefty 238km from Como to Bergamo.

Pogacar will face formidable opposition with double-Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel in his last race for one-day specialists Soudal-Quick Step before joining Red Bull.

"If anyone can tell me how to beat Tadej please do," Evenepoel joked last week after coming second at the World and European championships to Pogacar.

At just 19, French tyro Paul Seixas will be one to watch after his third place at the recent European road race.

Mavericks Tom Pidcock and Julian Alaphilippe can be counted on to bid to try and upset the order, while Ireland's Ben Healy should feature in any shake-up.

'BEST SEASON'

But 27-year-old Pogacar is on-form, recently retaining the world crown and adding the European road race title to his long list of honours, which includes four Tour de France triumphs.

"Every year I say to myself it's my best season so far, but then next year comes and it's a better season. But soon enough, there will be a moment where I won't be able to top it off," Pogacar said after claiming the European crown.

"I'm over the moon with every season I've done, and this year is no exception. I realise that I'm lucky to be able to win all these races."

Pogacar is used to breaking records – this year he became the first man to win both the Tour and world championship two seasons in a row – and he also has another of the sport's greats in his sights.

Only Fausto Coppi has won the season-ending Il Lombardia five times, and no-one has ever strung together five consecutive victories, with the Italian great winning four on the bounce between 1946 and 1949.

The race has been Pogacar's personal playground since he first won it in 2021, the route so often perfect for a rider who loves to attack early and burn off the competition.

The last time it finished in Bergamo, two years ago, Pogacar made his move on the decisive Passo di Ganda climb that is also on this year's gruelling route, which features a series of steep climbs.

Israel-Premier Tech and race organisers came to a mutual agreement that the team would not take part, after having been targeted by pro-Palestinian protesters at several recent races.

Tadej Pogacar added yet another victory to his stunning season by winning the Tre Valli Varesine cycling race on Tuesday as he prepares for the final Monument of the season.

Having recently added the European title to his world crown, Pogacar also prevailed in northern Italy thanks to a trademark attack more than 20 kilometres from the end of a tough 200.3km course.

Pogacar has won 19 times this season and is red-hot favourite to make it 20 on Saturday when he will bid to become the first man to win the Giro di Lombardia five years in a row.

The 27-year-old is aiming to join Italian great Fausto Coppi on five wins at the "Race of the Falling Leaves", which this year runs from Como to Bergamo.

He is also hoping to match a feat only ever achieved by Belgian superstar Eddy Merckx by winning three of the five Monuments in the same season.

In April, Pogacar won both the Tour of Flanders and Liege-Bastogne-Liege, having also finished second at Paris-Roubaix, and a month earlier he was third at Milan-San Remo.

Merckx managed a trio of Monuments four times in his career and has a record 19 victories in the prestigious one-day classics.

Pogacar is bidding for his 10th, which would put him out on his own in third place behind only Merckx and another Belgian, Roger De Vlaeminck (11).

Cycling titans Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard will go head-to-head in a new format when they take part in the inaugural Andorra Cycling Masters race this month.

The four-rider event, also featuring Primoz Roglic and Isaac del Torro, will be comprised of an 8km uphill time trial on the Coll de la Gallina before a 32km urban duel in the heart of Andorra la Vella and Escaldes Engordany.

With no team back-up and no peloton to hide in, the format is designed to pit four of the best riders in the world against each other in a unique environment.

For Slovenian Pogacar it will be the chance to complete a remarkable season in which he claimed a fourth Tour de France victory and retained his world road title, while Denmark's Vingegaard won this year's Vuelta a España and is regarded as the main rival to Pogacar's domination of men's cycling.

The October 19 event, which is not an official UCI-sanctioned race, will also offer behind-the-scenes footage that will form a documentary to be released at the end of the year.

Organiser David Quintana said it will be a rare chance for fans to watch Pogacar and Vingegaard going wheel to wheel, especially on the multi-lap street race.

"The idea was to put four of the very best riders together but without teams and so on, racing directly against each other," he told Cycling News.

"That way the public could see who, each season, is the champion of champions."

The Israel-Premier Tech cycling team, which was beset by protests against its participation in cycling races, said on Monday that it was changing its name to move away from an "Israeli identity".

"The decision has been made to rename and rebrand the team, moving away from its current Israeli identity," the team owned by Canadian-Israeli billionaire Sylvan Adams said in a statement, which added that the owner would "step back" from the team.

Israel PT has been targeted by pro-Palestinian protesters at several races recently, with various stages of the Vuelta a Espana grand tour disrupted by demonstrators last month.

"Looking ahead to the 2026 season, Sylvan Adams has chosen to step back from his day-to-day involvement and will no longer speak on behalf of the team, instead focusing on his role as President of the World Jewish Congress, Israel," the team said.

Although the team is privately-owned rather than state-run, Adams has dubbed himself an unofficial ambassador for the country, which is at war with Palestinian armed group Hamas in Gaza.

The Vuelta was massively disrupted by protesters with even the Spanish government – which has accused Israel of genocide in Gaza – urging organisers to eject Israel-Premier Tech to put an end to the chaos, which forced several stages to be shortened or neutralised.

Protesters also caused two riders to crash during the three-week-long tour.

And there were isolated protests during the sport's other two grand tours, the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France.

Both the Vuelta's organisers, Unipublic, and the International Cycling Union (UCI) refused to kick out Israel PT but were powerless to prevent protester disruptions given the nature of road cycling taking place out in the open along courses that run for 200 kilometres or more.

Israel PT even removed the name Israel from the team's jerseys during the Vuelta to try to provide a less visible target for demonstrators.

But since then, the pressure has mounted on the team to find a solution to continue racing safely.

The team's main sponsor, the Canadian multi-national Premier Tech, called for them to "evolve to a new name excluding the term Israel, and that it will adopt a new identity and a new brand image".

And organisers of last week's Giro dell'Emilia excluded Israel PT for "public security" reasons, with rumours that they will also be prevented from taking part at the prestigious Giro di Lombardia monument race this weekend in Italy.

Slovenian Tadej Pogacar capped a superb season by winning the European title on Sunday to add to his World Championships crown, before issuing a warning to his rivals by saying he still has room to improve and become even better.

This year's European Championships were billed as a three-way battle between Pogacar, Remco Evenepoel and Jonas Vingegaard, but a dominant Pogacar blew away the competition with a devastating 75-km solo attack.

Belgian Evenepoel was second, while Dane Vingegaard did not finish the race.

Pogacar also beat Evenepoel to claim a second consecutive men's road race world title last month, becoming the first rider to win the Tour de France and the World Championships road race the same year twice in a row.

"Every year I want to be a better version of myself. Try to gain more experience, try different races and I am lucky enough to be in these kinds of races. I need to enjoy it for as long as I can," Pogacar told reporters.

"Remco was really good and always chasing me and I could not give up until the finish line. I had to push really, really hard, and I'm happy it's over and another title."

Pogacar is expected to finish his season at the Giro di Lombardia this month, where he is chasing a fifth consecutive victory.

Dutch rider Demi Vollering produced an irresistible series of attacks before soloing to victory in the women's road race at the European championships in France on Saturday.

Vollering broke away with 38km to go, finishing 1min 18sec ahead of Poland's Kasia Niewiadoma, who dominated a sprint for second with another Dutch rider Anna van der Breggen.

A week after rank outsider Magdeleine Vallieres of Canada pulled off a surprise win in the world championships in Kigali, Vollering, seventh in Rwanda, closed the door to any surprises.

A trio of Dutch riders set a hard uphill pace before Vollering produced a surge only Niewiadoma, Van der Breggen and Elisa Longo Borghini could even attempt to match.

The 28-year-old never faltered over the final two hills and picked up her 11th win of the season comfortably.

Dutch riders have won the women's European road race title in nine of the ten editions.

Spanish cycling sensation Juan Ayuso signed a five-year contract with Lidl-Trek on Thursday after a messy divorce from UAE Team Emirates that turned the recent Vuelta a Espana into a public relations battleground.

The 23-year-old's move comes after what UAE Team Emirates diplomatically called "differences in the vision of development plans" when announcing their mutual agreement to terminate his contract early, a deal originally set to run until 2028.

But Ayuso did not buy the diplomatic spin, accusing UAE Team Emirates of trying to "damage my image" by announcing the split during the Vuelta, where he won two stages and was an early contender for the general classification.

The timing particularly stung because Ayuso said UAE Team Emirates had initially agreed to hold off on the announcement until after the Spanish Grand Tour concluded.

"I'm really excited. Joining Lidl-Trek is the start of an important new chapter in my career and I'm motivated to keep growing as a rider. Change always brings new energy and ambitions, so I can't wait to get started," Ayuso said in a statement on Thursday.

"From the outside you can see the team has built a strong identity, with a lot of unity and ambition. The long-term project they're putting together is something quite unique and special.

"It feels like a place where I can take the next step in my development, surrounded by riders and staff who share the same goals. I want to keep improving in the biggest races. The team has the ambition to become the best team in the world."

The young Spaniard has shown glimpses of what he can achieve in the future, winning a stage in the Giro d'Italia and two individual stages at the Vuelta this year.

He had also notched a third-place overall finish at the 2022 Vuelta and the young rider classification in 2023, and he sees his new home as the perfect launch-pad for bigger ambitions.

"Juan is one of the brightest young talents in cycling. He is already one of the best climbers and time trialists in the world, which makes for a very exciting package," said Luca Guercilena, Lidl-Trek's general manager.

"At only 23 years old, he still has room to grow, and we are committed to giving him all the support he needs to reach his full potential."

Africa's first ever cycling world championships have been a dream come true for several amateur riders, some of whom have been praying just to be given an opportunity in a sport dominated by wealthy nations.

Setting off for her time-trial from a ramp in Kigali's BK Arena, to the backdrop of the rhythm of traditional Central African ingomas drums, Vanette Houssou achieved a long-held ambition.

"I was a bit nervous at the start, but most of all I was proud," said the 20-year-old from Benin.

"When I started cycling, in my prayers, I prayed to God to help me be here."

A record-breaking 36 African countries are represented in Rwanda, with a third of the more than 700 riders competing coming from the continent.

The junior and under-23 categories are particularly well stocked with African competitors.

Several of them, like Houssou, were part of the 'Africa 2025' project set up by cycling's governing body the UCI.

The youngster from Benin spent several months in Brittany, France, training for the championships and "dreams of competing in the Tour de France or the Giro d'Italia" one day.

But difficulties remain for potential professional riders from a continent where cycling is still mainly seen as a mode of transport rather than a sport, including in Rwanda where four-time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar was spotted training with a local resident on a giant, old bike.

"In Tunisia, there aren't many female cyclists, about 10 at most," says Tunisian Alma Abroud, who watched in awe as three-time men's time-trial world champion Remco Evenepoel rode past her during a training run.

"We're representing the continent here. It's an honour to have the championship here.

"It was beautiful to see, the perfection (of Evenepoel's technique). It makes me want to work even harder to maybe join a professional team one day."

'DIFFERENT KIND OF CYCLING'

However, the personal aspirations of the riders do not change the challenges that remain.

These world championships are a meeting of two different worlds – the ultra-professional one of cycling's top stars and the sometimes makeshift one of Africa's amateur hopefuls.

The difference is particularly obvious in the equipment.

Malian rider Tiemoko Diallo competed in the Under-23 time-trial on a standard road bike, light-years away from the expensive, streamlined machine used by winner Jakob Soderqvist of Sweden.

"The difference is huge. It's a different kind of cycling, but we don't have the means to buy a time-trial bike. When we do, we'll be able to work hard," insisted Diallo.

"There's a lot of talent in Mali. All Malians want to ride, they really love it. Only, there is no funding and no training."

The Rwandan team is better equipped, driven by President Paul Kagame's desire to use the championships as a showcase for the country.

"We had preferential pricing on time-trial bikes and road racing bikes. I now have 32 new bikes," said Rwanda team coach David Louvet.

Home rider Shemu Nsengiyumva made the most of the opportunity, taking a remarkable 25th place in the men's time-trial, finishing ahead of several professionals.

The young Africans competing are hoping that their efforts at the championships can leave a lasting legacy, rather than being a one-off.

"In Benin, many girls think that cycling is really difficult and they don't want to do it, but every year participation continues to increase," said Under-23 rider Charlotte Metoevi of the sport back home.

"I want to show them that they can do it."

Some boundaries have already been broken by Biniam Girmay, the first black African to win a Grand Tour stage and a three-time stage winner on the 2024 Tour de France.

"The Europeans are still a little stronger than the Africans, but with training, we'll get there. Like Biniam, who rides with them," adds Houssou of the Eritrean star.

Imperious Belgian Remco Evenepoel claimed a third consecutive time-trial title at the Road Cycling World Championships in Rwanda on Sunday, as Tadej Pogacar agonisingly missed out on a medal by less than two seconds.

Despite starting the 40.6km race against the clock two and a half minutes after Pogacar, Evenepoel overtook the fading Tour de France winner in the closing stages to secure a dominant victory.

Australia's Jay Vine took silver at 1min 14sec with Belgian Ilan Van Wilder snatching third at 2min 36sec, just 1.6sec faster than Pogacar.

Evenepoel described the race conditions as the hardest he had ever faced in a time-trial and admitted that he had gone close to his limit in overtaking Pogacar.

"Once I saw him (Pogacar) I wanted to go as close as possible. Maybe I went too close to the limit to catch him," he admitted.

"The cobbles were really painful on a time-trial bike but I'm delighted. It's a really special win," he said.

Slovenian four time Tour de France winner Pogacar admitted he had given everything.

"It's hard to swallow," he said of being overtaken.

"It's incredible how fast he was, how good he is at this discipline. Really what a ride from him. I feel bitter about missing a medal by one second. But tomorrow is a new day," Pogacar said.

For Evenepoel this was further confirmation that he is the best time-trial racer of his generation.

He won the 2023 time-trial in Glasgow and defended it in Zurich a year later, having also won the road race world title in Australia in 2022.

The 25-year-old's latest success came a year after pulling off a spectacular double at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, winning both the road race and the time-trial.

REMCO EVENEPOEL 🇧🇪🫡

Your 2025 UCI Men Elite ITT World Champion 🌈#Kigali2025 pic.twitter.com/etatpENAHY

— UCI (@UCI_cycling) September 21, 2025

He will be aiming to emulate that achievement in next Sunday's 267km road race, where Pogacar is the hot favourite.

"I was on great form today, I hope I feel like this again next Sunday," Evenepoel said.

Only two men have ever won more than three world time-trial titles, with German Tony Martin and Swiss Fabian Cancellara having both claimed four.

LABOURED POGACAR

Evenepoel was last down the ramp in Kigali and set off quickly, opening up a 45-second lead already at the first time check.

In stark contrast, Pogacar appeared laboured and despite the shock of being overtaken by Evenepoel, he congratulated the winner with grace at the finish line.

Earlier on Sunday, Marlen Reusser made a golden breakthrough as she claimed the women's time-trial title having previously endured a series of individual near misses in major championships.

Reusser, a qualified doctor, dominated the race on a course with several steep climbs, including the cobbled Kimihurura hill, which proved torturous for the less experienced riders.

The Swiss rider beat Dutch pair Anna van der Breggen, 52 seconds back, and Demi Vollering, 1min 05sec behind, into the silver and bronze places.

Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel is determined to bag a hat-trick of titles in the men’s time trial when Cycling’s Road World Championships begin in Kigali on Sunday.

The winner of the time trial at the last two championships in Scotland and Zurich, he is looking to emulate the Australian Michael Rogers, who won three time trial titles from 2003 to 2005, and move closer to the record four titles held by Fabio Cancellara of Switzerland and the German Tony Martin.

“That's a nice challenge. I want to add my name to that list and go even further,” Evenepoel told reporters on the eve of a week of racing at a first-ever cycling world championships in Africa.

“It would be great to achieve a historic result here – that would be special."

The 25-year-old had a first training ride of the course on Friday and liked what he saw.

"It's a very fast course, and you're cycling at high altitude. The air is thinner, so the speed is higher."

"And there are no 10% climbs. You can maintain your position, and that gives me an advantage. Downhill, it's also more or less straight," he said.

There is a cobbled climb to the finish line. "It's tough at the end, although it's not the most difficult climb. It's steep at the beginning, but then it levels off a bit."

Tadej Pogacar, the reigning road race world champion and four-time Tour de France winner, has set his sights on a rare time trial-road race double.

"Which version of Tadej Pogacar will I see on Sunday? Hopefully, it's as good as possible, so I have to show the best version of myself to win," added Evenepoel.

"But this course won't lie. The strongest wins here. And it doesn't matter which Pogacar I face, I'll always have to show the best version of myself."

Evenepoel prepared in Spain, but said he did not spend much time on his time trial bike.

"I'm not the rider who does a lot of training on the time trial bike. That's a bit too dangerous with traffic. I did one training session with blocks and that was OK.

"I've had a decent preparation, a long month of training camp, and I now also have five months of competition under my belt,” he added.

Double Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel is expecting a tough challenge from Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar when the cycling Road World Championships begin in Kigali on Sunday with the men's and women's time-trials.

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 allrounder 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.

American Brandon McNulty won the Montreal Grand Prix on Sunday, crossing the finish line ahead of his team leader at UAE Tadej Pogacar, who joined him in a breakaway on the penultimate lap of the closing circuit.

Slovenia's Pogacar, a twice previous winner in Montreal, waved his teammate on at the finish, the triumph capping a dominant performance from UAE – who pressed persistently to seize control.

The Emirati team claimed their 85th victory of the year, equaling the record for the number of wins by a single team in a season previously achieved by HTC-Columbia in 2009.

𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 @𝗍𝗇𝗍𝗌𝗉𝗈𝗋𝗍𝗌𝖼𝗒𝖼𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗀 • Brothers in arms 🤩 After utilising their full team throughout the race, Tadej Pogačar rode the final 2 laps in support of Brandon McNulty as they cross the line at Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal arm-in-arm 💪🏻 pic.twitter.com/M4jOfW173a

— ꓴ𝖠𝗘 ꔋ𝗘𝖠𝝡ᴿᴾ (parody) (@notUAETEAM) September 14, 2025

Pogacar's runner-up finish followed a disappointing 29th place in the Quebec Grand Prix on Friday, but the two Canadian races showed he had rested and recovered well since winning a fourth Tour de France title in July.

The 26-year-old Slovenian's form in his first races since the Tour bodes well for the World Championships in Rwanda, where he will defend his road racing title on September 28.

A week earlier he is due to take on Belgian world champion Remco Evenepoel in the time-trial.

Pogacar is then headed to the Europan Championships in France before wrapping up his season at the Tour of Lombardy, where he will be chasing an unprecedented fifth straight victory.