Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar continued his stunning year of success by striking Cycling World Championships gold in the men's road race on Sunday.
The Slovenian produced yet another remarkable performance with a trademark solo long-distance breakaway in Kigali, Rwanda, to secure a second successive world title.
Pogacar finished crossed the finish line 1 min 28 sec ahead of Belgium's Remco Evenepoel, who grabbed an impressive silver despite numerous mechanical difficulties, with Ben Healy of Ireland taking bronze.
On what was a brutal 267.5km run that included 33 climbs, over 15 loops and one longer, even harder loop with an extra cobbled climb, UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider Pogacar again reigned supreme.
After a chastening time-trial one week ago, which saw Pogacar overtaken on the same roads by triple gold-medal winner Evenepoel – despite starting a couple of minutes before him – it was normal service resumed on what had been widely touted as the most difficult World Championships course ever seen.
British rider Tom Pidcock described it as his “most unenjoyable race of the year” in his post-race interview, due to how hard it was.
When Pogacar surged on Mount Kigali with 104km remaining, throwing caution to the wind, the script felt familiar.
Only his UAE Team Emirates teammates Juan Ayuso of Spain and Mexico’s Isaac Del Toro could initially follow – but Ayuso soon cracked and Del Toro was cast adrift 67km from the line, left to watch as Pogacar disappeared up the road for another memorable solo triumph.
When asked why he launched his attack so early, Pogacar replied: “I think the course was designed for this, but I was hoping that a small group would form, like we did with Juan and Del Toro. It was a perfect combo'.
“I was like – this is a dream, no, to ride together as far as possible, as a trio, but Juan had a problem like soon on the Mur and Del Toro had some stomach problems in the race.
“So I was left alone quite early, and I was solo, fighting by myself, but I'm so happy I made it.
“Because the climbs were getting harder and harder on every lap, but on the downhills, I had to pedal a lot too. Towards the end, the energy resources were going.
“It was so hard, the last final laps. Of course, you doubt, but you have to push through and hope for the best.”
He becomes only the second rider in the last two decades to successfully defend the rainbow jersey, following Slovakia’s Peter Sagan who won three in a row from 2015 to 2017.
He becomes the first man in history to do the Tour de France and World Championships road-race double in consecutive seasons.
In July, Pogacar became the sixth man to win four or more Tour de France titles, drawing level with Chris Froome and one behind Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain.
He also made it a century of career wins with victory on Stage 4 in France during what he described as “one of the hardest Tours” he had raced in.
The 27-year-old also secured spring classics triumphs at Strade Bianche, the Tour of Flanders, La Fleche Wallonne and Liege–Bastogne–Liege.
With two Monument titles already this year, Pogacar further cemented his versatility across one-day and stage races.
Another Monument one-day race awaits when he lines up at the Giro di Lombardia next month.
But first Pogacar can savour his latest gold in what was Africa's first-ever World Championships. “It was an incredible experience altogether,” he added. “Let's say it was a successful week.”
THREE
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UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Super heroes
Iron Man
Reduced risk of dementia
Alcohol consumption could be an issue
Hulk
Cardiac disease, stroke and dementia from high heart rate
Spider-Man
Agility reduces risk of falls
Increased risk of obesity and mental health issues
Black Panther
Vegetarian diet reduces obesity
Unknown risks of potion drinking
Black Widow
Childhood traumas increase risk of mental illnesses
Thor
He's a god
Punchy appearance
Roars of support buoyed Mr Johnson in an extremely confident and combative appearance
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Famous left-handers
- Marie Curie
- Jimi Hendrix
- Leonardo Di Vinci
- David Bowie
- Paul McCartney
- Albert Einstein
- Jack the Ripper
- Barack Obama
- Helen Keller
- Joan of Arc
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
Kibsons%20Cares
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Haemoglobin disorders explained
Thalassaemia is part of a family of genetic conditions affecting the blood known as haemoglobin disorders.
Haemoglobin is a substance in the red blood cells that carries oxygen and a lack of it triggers anemia, leaving patients very weak, short of breath and pale.
The most severe type of the condition is typically inherited when both parents are carriers. Those patients often require regular blood transfusions - about 450 of the UAE's 2,000 thalassaemia patients - though frequent transfusions can lead to too much iron in the body and heart and liver problems.
The condition mainly affects people of Mediterranean, South Asian, South-East Asian and Middle Eastern origin. Saudi Arabia recorded 45,892 cases of carriers between 2004 and 2014.
A World Health Organisation study estimated that globally there are at least 950,000 'new carrier couples' every year and annually there are 1.33 million at-risk pregnancies.
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
