LeMond, Evenepoel, Van der Poel, Mohoric and now Lorenzo Finn! 18-year-old Italian joins elite company with U23 world title win in Kigali
CyclingFriday, 26 September 2025 at 16:30
On a searing Friday afternoon in Kigali, Rwanda, Lorenzo Finn didn’t just cross the finish line first in the men's U23 road race — he crossed a threshold into cycling history.
The 18-year-old phenomenon from Italy backed up his junior world title from Zurich last year with a stunning solo victory in the U23 men’s road race at the 2025 UCI Road World Championships. In doing so, he became just the fifth male rider in history to win world titles across multiple age categories — a rarefied group that, according to Cycling Statistics on X, includes only Greg LeMond, Remco Evenepoel, Mathieu van der Poel, and Matej Mohoric.
Elite Company
Only four riders before Finn have stood atop the World Championship podium more than once in different age brackets — and their names read like a roll call of modern cycling royalty:
- 🇺🇸 Greg LeMond – Junior world champion in 1979, elite titles in 1983 and 1989.
- 🇧🇪 Remco Evenepoel – Junior title in 2018, elite rainbow jersey in 2022.
- 🇳🇱 Mathieu van der Poel – Junior world champion in 2013, elite road race title in 2023.
- 🇸🇮 Matej Mohorič – Back-to-back wins in the juniors (2012) and U23 (2013) categories.
Now, alongside them: 🇮🇹 Lorenzo Finn (2024, 2025).
While the likes of Evenepoel and Van der Poel skipped U23 racing entirely, jumping straight into the elite ranks, Finn has chosen a more traditional path — and dominated it. His win in Kigali at just 18 years old only underlines how far ahead of the curve he already is.
Finn took the junior title in Zurich last year
Kigali: A Race of Attrition
This wasn’t just any U23 race — this was the first-ever Road World Championships held on African soil. Kigali delivered a brutal, technical course that quickly turned the race into a war of attrition.
The decisive moment came atop the Côte de Kimihurura, one of the course’s punchiest ramps. Finn launched clear from the lead group, immediately opening a gap. Only Switzerland’s Jan Huber could follow. With 6.5km to go, Finn made the call. He attacked again — hard — and this time Huber couldn’t follow. From there, the Italian powered away alone, never looking back.
Who Is Lorenzo Finn?
To cycling insiders, Finn’s name has been underlined in red since 2024, when he claimed the junior world title in Zurich with a devastating late attack.
Now riding for Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe’s development team, Finn has combined tactical maturity with explosive climbing talent — a rare blend. His progression from junior to U23 dominance in the span of 12 months is not just impressive — it's historic.
At just 18, he has already held rainbow jerseys in two age categories.
Finn in action for Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe
The Road Ahead
Could Finn be the next Remco? The next Van der Poel? Time will tell. But based on the evidence in Kigali, the trajectory is clear. He has the engine, the racing IQ, and the big-race temperament — and he’s already being moulded within one of the most ambitious development structures in the pro peloton.
In Kigali — where the world watched Africa host its first ever road Worlds — Lorenzo Finn seized the moment. Amid the heat, the altitude, and the drama, he didn’t just win a bike race. He did something only some of the sports greatest of all time have ever managed.
📊🏆🌈World Champions (Men Road Race) in multiple age-categories:
— Cycling Statistics 📊 (@StatsOnCycling) September 26, 2025
👶MJ+👦MU
🇸🇮Matej Mohorič (2012/2013)
🇮🇹Lorenzo Finn (2024/2025)
👶MJ+👨ME
🇺🇸Greg LeMond (1979/1983+89)
🇧🇪Remco Evenepoel (2018/2022)
🇳🇱Mathieu van der Poel (2013/2023)
👦MU+👨ME
❌
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