"Reminds him a lot of Wollongong" - Can Evenepoel win the rainbow jersey again in a course similar to 2022?
Cycling
Remco Evenepoel won his first and only road race world title at elite level thus far in Wollongong 2022, and after reconning the course in Kigali, he and Belgian national coach Serge Pauwels both agree that the course has similarities and this could be something that can come to the advantage of the Olympic Champion.
In the Belgian camp, there are new updated on the daily. This Thursday morning the road race events begin with the under-23 women, and for the first time it will be able to see how much of an impact the climbs will have on the riders and its influence in the race.
The Belgian group was also able to explore the course properly, now with closed roads and everything as is going to be over the coming days. Evenepoel had some special insight according to Serge Pauwels, who talked to VTM Nieuws: "The first thing he said was that the course reminds him a lot of Wollongong. That's true. It also gives me a different impression now than when I came here in early March, now that it's closed off by road barriers."
"I followed the Tour du Rwanda in the race back then, but it's quite different compared to the World Championships experience and the obstacles we have now," he explains, but by no means is that a negative surprise. "I think Remco was very hopeful and satisfied with the course. He did the big loop, and even though I couldn't talk to him about it yet, he's quite keen on the smaller one."
Evenepoel is already a winner, but he could make history if he adds another title to his current palmarès this Sunday. @Sirotti
The cobbles suit Evenepoel
Asked if it was similar to the Wollongong course where Evenepoel became World Champion in 2022 with a solo attack in Australia the answer was "yes, and when he said it, I had to agree with him. That Cote de Kigali Golf reminds me of the steep climb where he broke away from Alexey Lutsenko. But the roads are also very fast, and the asphalt is good."
"That cobbled climb is obviously new, but it suits him. Almost all the climbs have a spur, and that's what he likes, of course. When everyone is on the limit, he can shift up a gear."
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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