There had been much written in the build-up to the 2025 UCI Road World Championships in Rwanda – the first on African soil – about whether it could live up to its billing. Yet, once the action got underway last weekend, stresses about logistics, infrastructure and its potential legacy were quickly drowned out by the noise coming from the roadsides in and around Kigali, particularly during the elite men's and women's road races this last weekend.
The sheer scale of the crowds along the routes was hard to comprehend from TV pictures, but my Cyclingnews colleagues on the ground, Kirsten Frattini and Matilda Price, were in no doubt that they had never witnessed a bike race watched by so many people before.
But it wasn't just incredible levels of support that the people of Kigali and Rwanda brought to the party of the year; the elite men's road race course was an almighty beast too, perhaps even harder than organisers anticipated, with 5,475m of climbing in the men's race. It decimated the peloton on Sunday, so much so that only 30 riders finished the full 267.5km route - the fewest since the 1995 Worlds in Colombia, where only 20 riders crossed the finish line.
Canada's Magdeleine Vallieres and Slovenia's Tadej Pogačar came out on top of the two vastly contrasting road races, though, and get the honour of donning the rainbow jersey for the next 12 months.
To give you a taste of what you might not have witnessed on TV or in Cyclingnews' in-depth race reports, we enlisted the help of highly experienced cycling photographer Chris Auld to bring you a road race gallery highlighting the best images both on and off the course. Enjoy!
Deep crowds lined the streets for the women's road race on Saturday.
Diane Ingabire was one of four Rwandan riders competing on home roads in the elite women's road race.
A young Rwandan boy helping to create a party atmosphere on the streets of Kigali.
No guesses needed for the rider on the poster behind this fan.
Organisers hope that the first-ever UCI Road World Championships in Africa will help to inspire the next generation of African pro cyclists.
Could they even be the next Biniam Girmay? The Eritrean couldn't miss the momentous occasion, even if the course was heavily weighted against his sprinting prowess.
The facial expressions of these locals tell you all you need to know about what the World Championships visiting their corner of the world could mean.
A stark difference in setups between these two cyclists, but as these World Champs are helping to reinforce, cycling is truly global.
If you meld the leg-sapping ascent of the Oude Kwaremont with the cauldron-esque atmosphere of the fearsome Trouée d'Arenberg, we think you might end up with the Côte de Kigali.
Locals made the most of any viewpoint of the action, whether it be rooftops or balconies.
Tadej Pogačar and trade teammate Isaac del Toro (Mexico) attack off the front up the Côte de Kigali with several laps of the Kigali circuit still to tackle.
The blue, yellow, and green colours of Rwanda's national flag were everywhere throughout the week-long event.
Tom Pidcock attempts to lead the charge in the chasing group as they tackle the cobbles once more.
Pogačar would finally shake Del Toro off his wheel with 66km remaining, and in typical style, wasn't to be seen again.
Pavements, steps, and walls were packed to the brim with spectators vying for a vantage point of the action.
Irishman Ben Healy continued his strong 2025 form on Sunday, battling hard to put himself in contention for a podium place in Kigali.
Magdeleine Vallieres assesses the strength of her rivals in the break as the women's race bubbles up to a crescendo.
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (France) and Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy) were two contenders left playing catch-up as hesitation saw a shot at the rainbow bands ride away from them in the closing stages.
Kim Le Court-Pienaar (Mauritius) was another challenger who was left to rue what could've been as Vallieres and company pushed on.
After attacking away from Niamh Fisher-Black (New Zealand) and Mavi García (Spain) on the Kimihurura climb, Vallieres clinched only her second professional victory.
The Canadian 24-year-old was in disbelief at what she'd just accomplished, clearly emotional as she rolled across the line, barely able to pedal another stroke.
Canadian teammate Alison Jackson was the first to meet Vallieres as she came over the line, unable to hide her glee and joy at her younger compatriot's exploits.
After Fisher-Black clinched silver, Mavi García rounded out the podium, clearly delighted to take bronze at the age of 41, and on such a demanding course.
Vallieres, taking in her achievement, resplendent in rainbow bands and a gold medal around her neck.
A podium trio that few, if any, would have predicted, yet their aggressive racing made the podium fully deserved for all three riders.
Meanwhile, the finale of the men's race was an all-the-more routine affair, with Pogačar retaining his rainbow jersey in resounding fashion.
The Slovenian arrived at the finish 1:28 ahead of second-place Evenepoel, who was hampered by cramp due to a saddle issue at the very moment the race exploded.
Eager fans all wanted a glimpse of the final medal presentation of the 2025 World Road Championships.
A podium with a mixture of emotions. For Pogačar and Healy, it is objective complete, while Evenepoel is likely wondering about what could've been.
Yet while there were many questions left unanswered for the favourites in Kigali this last weekend, one that most certainly has been answered is whether Rwanda could put on such a sporting occasion. The answer is, most certainly, yes.
Can we do it all over again?
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