UAE dominates 2025 UCI Road World Championship Men's Road Race representation

Pavel Sivakov's experience at the 2024 World Championships in Zurich, Switzerland, is a clear example of the complex dynamics that can occur when teammates compete for their respective countries. Sivakov (France) and Pogačar (Slovenia) found themselves alone with a significant distance still to cover. As teammates for 364 days of the year, they co-operated well, which ultimately resulted in Pogačar taking the rainbow jersey whilst Sivakov was dropped.

Speaking on the matter on a previous episode of The Odd Tandem Sivakov said, "I felt good that day and just wanted to follow him [Pogačar] as long as possible," 

At one point I really believed in making the podium. When he attacked on a climb, I could initially follow him, but just before the summit he dropped me. He looked back and waited for me. That was the moment he squeezed me to death. I burned myself out in his wheel and completely exploded, which meant the end of my race. That also tells me how bizarrely strong he was," Sivakov concluded.

For the 2025 Road World Championships in Rwanda, several of Pogačar's teammates are notably absent from the Championships, with some not wanting to compete against their leader. Tim Wellens (Belgium) had expressed difficulty with the prospect of racing against the Slovenian superstar, while in-form Brandon McNulty (USA), Jhonatan Narváez (Ecuador) João Almeida (Portugal), Adam Yates (Great Britain), Nils Politt (Germany), and Rafał Majka (Poland) from Pogačar's usual supporting cast did not make the journey.

Even without those riders, UAE Team Emirates–XRG lead the participation numbers with eleven, underlining the team’s impressive depth. Isaac del Toro, in outstanding form, and the departing Juan Ayuso add two further podium contenders to a squad that has already made history with 86 victories and counting in the 2025 season. Pavel Sivakov, Marc Soler, Florian Vermeersch and Domen Novak will also be on the start line.

Behind UAE, both Jayco AlUla and Soudal Quick-Step field ten riders in Rwanda, the latter featuring one of the main protagonists in Remco Evenepoel. Lidl–Trek follow with nine competitors, including Mattias Skjelmose (Denmark), Giulio Ciccone (Italy) and Quinn Simmons (USA), each with personal ambitions.

INEOS Grenadiers bring Thymen Arensman (Netherlands) and Egan Bernal (Colombia), while Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe (Primož Roglič and Jai Hindley), Tudor (Julian Alaphilippe and Marc Hirschi) and EF Education–EasyPost (Richard Carapaz and Ben Healy) each start with six riders.

Visma | Lease a Bike arrive with only four representatives and no designated leaders: Victor Campenaerts (Belgium), Cian Uijtdebroeks (Belgium), Attila Valter (Hungary) and Menno Huising (Netherlands). They match Q36.5, featuring Tom Pidcock, and Picnic PostNL, led by Oscar Onley.

The battle for promotion and relegation also appears to influence participation. Uno-X have left riders such as Tobias Halland Johannessen at home, sending only Andreas Leknessund, who finished sixth in the time trial on Sunday. Cofidis, meanwhile, travel with just Oliver Knight.