Pogačar Reflects on Mur de Kigali’s Placement in Road Race Course
With just over 100 kilometers remaining in Sunday’s World Championship road race in Kigali, Slovenia’s Tadej Pogačar offered a candid assessment of one of the circuit’s most iconic features: the Mur de Kigali. The cobbled climb, narrow and steep, has long been anticipated as a decisive point in the competition. But Pogačar, known for his sharp climbing instincts, believes its placement on the course changes the dynamics significantly.
“An attack is always possible there if you have the legs for it,” Pogačar said when asked about the 104-kilometer mark. “But it’s a shame they built that climb so early. It could have been more enjoyable later in the race.”
The Mur de Kigali has been a talking point among riders and analysts in the buildup to the championship. Positioned early in the decisive circuits, the climb forces riders to balance aggression with endurance. A full-scale attack there could splinter the peloton, but it also risks burning precious energy long before the finish.
Pogačar’s comments highlight the tactical complexities awaiting the favorites. Riders like Remco Evenepoel, Wout van Aert, and Matteo Jorgenson are all expected to test their rivals on the steeper sections, but timing will be critical. “If you go too hard there, you might not see the finish,” one team director noted.
Still, the Slovenian’s history of thriving on challenging climbs means fans will keep a close watch when the peloton hits the Mur. Whether he uses it to strike early or conserves his energy for the final push, Pogačar remains central to the race narrative in Rwanda’s “Land of a Thousand Hills.”
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