'S*** happens' - How Remco Evenepoel's nightmare road race unfolded to deny a double amid Tadej Pogacar tussle

Remco Evenepoel went into the UCI Road World Championships men's road race as one of the favourites. But instead, Tadej Pogacar rode away from the field to seal another title, leaving the Belgian as one of many fighting for second place. And despite grabbing the silver, Evenepoel was left to rue a series of missteps that left him unable to truly challenge Pogacar for the title.

Watch: Evenepoel kicks water bottle as untimely mechanical leaves road race chances in tatters

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After winning the UCI Road World Championships men’s time trial, Remco Evenepoel went into the road race in fine form and was seen as one of Tadej Pogacar’s biggest rivals.

But the Belgian’s day unravelled fast, as he required multiple bike changes and admitted to nearly giving up at one point after suffering cramp - only to recover to grab an unlikely second place.

It all started to go wrong for Evenepoel on the Mont Kigali climb. He hit a hole in the road that affected his saddle position, right at the moment Pogacar attacked.

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The double Olympic champion was unable to follow - suffering cramping issues as his position changed on the now out-of-kilter saddle.

"Tadej made his attack, which I kind of knew it was going to happen there, but I completely cramped up and I just couldn't push properly on the bike," Evenepoel explained.

"It might sound strange, but that's just how it goes when you have a drastic change of position. Also same for Mur de Kigali, I was really struggling with my cramps."

'S*** happens' - Evenepoel laments road race nightmare

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A bike change followed, but Evenepoel was struggling with that frame too - leading to a further loss of time. With Pogacar seemingly nigh-on uncatchable once he builds a lead, the Belgian admitted he was left wondering what he was fighting for.

"I looked up to the time gap and it was like 1:45 or something, so at that point I was like, 'why keep going?' Because it was still like five laps to go or something like that. So that was a difficult moment," he added.

Worse was to come when another bike change was required - this time Evenepoel forced to wait by the side of the road for the team car, kicking a water bottle in frustration as he watched his chances of the win disappear.

"The gap was already too big at that moment to close it, because we all know if Tadej has a gap, he also doesn't slow down," he said.

"It's a bit the same as if I have a gap, we are great time trialists so we know how to hold a gap. So the race was already lost at that moment, but I just could hope for the best and aim for the highest.

"It was more frustration because I knew it could be different today without the bike problems. Because I was feeling great from the start on.

Silver medalist Remco Evenepoel and Team Belgium reacts after the 98th UCI Cycling World Championships Kigali 2025, Men Elite Road Race

Image credit: Getty Images

"I think if I would not have had cramps in Mont Kigali, I was going to be able to go with him and [Isaac] Del Toro, then the race wouldn't be over, but we would go as long as possible as three."

In the end, Evenepoel recovered back to the chase group and then rode clear to take the silver - but wound up sitting by the side of the road after the finish line, head in hands after a day when almost nothing went right.

Expanding further to Eurosport, Evenepoel said: "[There were] no radio communications so I couldn't say anything. I tried to say it [convey his issues] over the motorbike so they could know it in advance.

"S*** happens probably.

He added: "I came to take the double, I was feeling great. I really had a feeling I could go out there together with Tadej.

"Overall I need to be very happy, we had a very good week. It [the season] is not finished yet, there are two Europeans and Lombardia waiting.

"For the moment I'm on quite a high and I hope to keep it like that for two more weeks.

"The competition is going to be very high again there. I think everybody knows it's the only jersey that I'm missing, so together with the Worlds, the Europeans were really high on my list this season."

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UCI Road World Championships