The streets of Kigali crackled with energy, tension, and raw emotion on Sunday afternoon as the men’s individual time trial at the 2025 UCI Road World Championships delivered a finish for the ages. The Rwandan capital, hosting its first ever Worlds, witnessed a day that will be remembered for decades: Remco Evenepoel stormed to a historic third straight rainbow jersey, but the real drama for fans unfolded just behind him.
In a heart-stopping twist, Ilan Van Wilderoften in the shadow of his Belgian compatriot produced the ride of his life to deny Tadej Pogačar a spot on the podium by a single, agonizing second.
For Van Wilder, it was a moment he could hardly comprehend. “Not something I ever imagined,” he admitted, still visibly shaken in the post-race interviews, his voice wavering between disbelief and joy. “To beat riders like Pogačar, and in this setting, it feels surreal. I didn’t think I could hold on to that gap.”
For Pogačar, on the other hand, it was heartbreak – the kind only cycling can deliver with cruel precision. After 45 minutes of effort, after kilometers of pain and focus, after battling Rwanda’s steep streets and humid air, he missed the bronze medal by one solitary second.
The Weight of a Second
In professional cycling, a second is both everything and nothing. It’s the blink of an eye, the slip of a wheel, the delay of a single gear shift. But in the World Championships, that one second is the difference between writing your name into history or walking away empty-handed.
Pogačar, already a two-time Tour de France winner, has achieved almost everything in the sport. But the rainbow jersey in a time trial has always eluded him. He fought hard on the Kigali course, known for its brutal ramps and technical corners, but fatigue seemed to creep in during the final kilometers. The Slovenian looked strong but not invincible as he approached the finish.
When the clock stopped, the crowd erupted in anticipation: would it be enough? For a fleeting moment, it seemed Pogačar had done just enough to secure third place. But then came Van Wilder, steady and relentless, grinding his way to the line with every ounce of determination. His time flashed across the big screen one second faster than Pogačar’s.Gasps turned into cheers, and the Belgian camp exploded in celebration.
Van Wilder Steps Out of the Shadows
For years, Van Wilder has been known primarily as a teammate, a loyal domestique, often working in service of bigger names. He has shown flashes of brilliance top 10 GC rides in stage races, strong climbing support for Evenepoel but rarely has he been in the spotlight. Kigali changed that forever.
“This is career-defining,” said Belgian national coach Sven Vanthourenhout. “Ilan has always had the engine, the talent, but today he proved he also has the mental strength to hold on in the most pressured situation imaginable.”
Indeed, Kigali was not just about numbers on a power meter. It was about courage. Van Wilder didn’t crumble when the tension mounted; instead, he embraced it. And in doing so, he claimed his first ever World Championship medal, bronze, behind the untouchable Evenepoel and Italy’s Filippo Ganna.
Pogačar’s Heartbreak
For Tadej Pogačar, finishing fourth is almost harder to bear than finishing tenth. “It’s a hard one to swallow,” he admitted quietly, his usual smile replaced by a look of resignation. “You put everything into it, and then you see the clock one second. It’s sport, but it hurts.”
The Slovenian champion has collected Grand Tour victories, Monuments, and Olympic medals, but somehow the World Championships continue to elude him. In Kigali, he came within touching distance of at least a medal, only to be denied by one of cycling’s smallest margins.
Fans watching on the roadside and around the world felt the emotion too. Social media lit up instantly: sympathy for Pogačar, admiration for Van Wilder, and awe at the drama cycling continues to produce.
A Day of Mixed Emotions for Belgium
Belgium had reasons to celebrate even beyond Evenepoel’s victory. With Van Wilder securing bronze, the country placed two riders on the podium a statement of dominance in the discipline. Yet what made the day special was not just the medals, but the way they were won: through resilience, belief, and the refusal to yield.
“Belgium is lucky right now,” said Tom Dumoulin, commentating for Dutch TV. “Evenepoel is in a league of his own, but Van Wilder showed there’s depth too. It makes them the powerhouse of time trialling.”
The Legacy of Kigali
The Kigali Worlds were already historic as the first edition held in Africa. The city embraced the event, with fans crowding the roadsides, singing, cheering, and waving flags. The atmosphere was electric and the drama on the road matched it perfectly.
Cycling is often about grand victories, about dominance and dynasties. But sometimes, it’s about the little margins the tiny stories inside the big one. Van Wilder’s bronze was one such story. For him, it was a breakthrough. For Pogačar, it was a bitter pill. And for cycling, it was pure theatre.