‘If I arrive in a sprint, I lose’ - Finn explains bold solo to U23 World title

"It's just unreal, like last year in Zurich. The crowds here were amazing – my ears were hurting in the last 500 metres because so many people were cheering," said Finn to reporters after crossing the finish line.

The race split into two distinct phases, with Belgium controlling a steady pace during the first half. The decisive moves came later when attacks flew on the challenging Rwandan course.

Finn executed his strategy perfectly by avoiding a sprint finish where he believed his chances would diminish.

"If I arrive in a sprint, chances are I lose, so I had to go solo," explained Finn. "We wanted to see what Belgium would do at the start of the race. They kept it pretty controlled for the first half, so we tried to save energy."

The demanding conditions played a significant role in the outcome, with heat and altitude testing all competitors.

"I thought I was suffering, but then I asked my teammates and they were suffering too," said Finn. "It was a hard second part of the race with the altitude and heat, but the team was perfect."

Several pre-race favourites, including Jarno Widar (Belgium), Jakob Omrzel (Slovenia) and Maxime Decomble (France), failed to finish in the top 10, indicating they struggled with the conditions and pressure.

Finn's victory celebration caught attention as he performed a choreographed move he had practised with teammate Alessandro Durgo during training.

"The celebration was just the spur of the moment with my teammate Alessandro [Durgo]," Finn said. "We did it in training and agreed if one of us won, we had to do that."

The Italian rider emphasised the importance of proper preparation, particularly noting how vital the ice water provided by his team staff proved in the challenging conditions.

"The people here in Kigali are fantastic. It's been a wonderful week," Finn added. "I'll remember it for the rest of my life. It's just an experience of a lifetime."