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Next year Pavel Sivakov will be joining the rising French hope Paul Seixas at Decathlon but he is currently working alongside him as they train together for France ahead of Sunday's World Championships road race in Montreal.And there is no doubt that he is impressed by the young rider, who turned 20 on Thursday, having already taken bronze in the individual time-trial in Montreal as well as capturing fourth place in the Tour de France.As one of Tadej Pogacar's lieutenants on UAE Team Emirates, Sivakov has also watched the Slovenian at the closest of quarters and sees similarities between the two star riders."Like Tadej, he (Seixas) is a notch above physically," the 29-year-old told AFP."He reminds me of Tadej. When we go out riding together, he crushes us."When they're on the bike, they're undisputed leaders, you can feel it, it's an aura they have."Beyond that, Tadej has a lot of experience, whereas Paul is just starting out. That's maybe where I can give him a bit of advice, a few things I know that he hasn't yet had the chance to experience." HIGH PRAISE FOR 20-YEAR-OLD SEIXASIt is high praise indeed for Seixas because Pogacar, still only 28, is already one of the greats of cycling with five Tours de France to his name as well as 13 Monuments and the Giro d'Italia.Sivakov sees further similarities between the master and the young pretender."Both of them are really laid-back off the bike," he said."They don't overthink things. That's what makes them strong. They're not hyper-focused on certain details that can eat away at you and make you stressed or bring negative energy at race time."As a result, when they're on the bike, they're so strong they don't have anything to prove to us." 'EVERYONE TRUSTS ME'Sivakov said Seixas has evolved enormously since his first races last year."He's coming in with a completely different status," he explained."Last year, he was a rider who was discovering everything. Now he's coming with the ambition to win, so it's totally different."He's had an extraordinary season. And of course, Tadej's absence also changes his status here."Pogacar only recently returned to the saddle after fracturing his collarbone and neck in a crash at the Vuelta a Espana.Sivakov, who was born in Italy, changed allegiance from Russia in 2022. He said he is now at home in the French jersey and ready to help Seixas see off the other favourites Remco Evenepoel and Isaac del Toro."I see it as an honour, it means everyone trusts me," Sivakov revealed."It's an important role that really suits me. I'm here for Paul."Of course, we have personal ambitions as cyclists. Of course, I'd like to stay in the race as long as possible, to be there in the finale, but the goal is to be world champion with Team France as a collective, and we're putting our egos aside." 

Tom Pidcock will lead a strong British contingent at the UCI Road World Championships in Montreal later this month as he bids for an unprecedented double.No male rider has ever won world titles in cross-country and road in the same year but, after Pidcock's triumph on his mountain bike in Val di Sole, Italy, last month and the absence of Tadej Pogacar, he will be one of the favourites.The 27-year-old will not be short of top-quality British support in Montreal with Adam Yates, a key lieutenant of Pogacar in the UAE Team Emirates XRG outfit, Oscar Onley and Fred Wright also selected for the road race.Pidcock, who finished ninth in this year's Tour de France, got his first look at the world championship course at last week's 214km GP de Montreal where he finished sixth in a high-class race won by Mexico's Isaac Del Toro.The world title will be battled out over 273km including 12 punishing laps of the Mount Royal circuit and Pidcock expressed quiet confidence that the course could suit him."On this course, you really need to have the legs for the last two laps," Pidcock said. "It's a good course for me; I've done well here before. But I'm not the top favourite."As Great Britain, we're going to go for it, and the more riders we have in the final, the better our chances of becoming world champions."The only rider to hold the cross-country and road world titles simultaneously was France's Pauline Ferrand-Prevot, who won the road title in 2014 and the cross-country in 2015.Pidcock picks out Del Toro and Paul Seixas as the favourites for what he expects to be an 'atritional' race but says the absence of Pogacar after the Slovenian's crash at the Vuelta a Espana does increase his chances."Tadej is the hardest rider to beat, and he's not here. That means the second-best rider is easier to beat," Pidcock, who is trying to become the first Briton to win the men's world title since Mark Cavendish in 2011, said.Zoe Backstedt and Cat Ferguson will lead Britain's women's road challenge while Ethan Hayter, who was pipped to victory by Pogacar in Vuelta opening day time trial, will race the TT. 

The wait is over. The UCI Road World Championships officially kicked off Sunday in Kigali, marking a historic milestone as the prestigious race unfolds on African soil for the very first time in its 103-year history.Organised by the Ministry of Sports in collaboration with the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the Rwanda Cycling Federation (FERWACY), and a wide coalition of public and private partners, this landmark edition brings together more than 1,000 elite cyclists from across the globe.Among the participating nations, Qatar is represented by its national team, comprising both the men’s and women’s teams, led by Marwan al-Jelham and coached by Tariq Ibrahim. Their participation highlights the Qatar Cycling Federation’s commitment to nurturing young talent and preparing athletes for world-class competition.Qatari cyclist Lulwa, who has been training in Rwanda ahead of the championship, shared her enthusiasm: “I have been training here, and I recommend everyone to come and train in Rwanda. To compete here is very special because it’s the first time Africa is hosting the championship, and it is also my first time competing at a world championship. I hope this championship allows the world to see African people.”The championship promises a thrilling spectacle along Rwanda’s iconic landscapes, with courses traversing legendary climbs such as the Mur de Kigali and Mont Kigali. These routes will test even the most seasoned cyclists while offering breathtaking scenery to millions of fans around the world.Speaking at the opening, Rwanda Minister of Sports, Nelly Mukazayire emphasised the broader significance of the event: “For Rwanda, hosting this world championship is not only an event, it is a commitment to the future, it is a commitment to the next generation that are going to be part of this sport movement. We believe in sports as a driving force for unity, for commitment and for social economic development. So we are here celebrating our statement and commitment to the future.”More than a race, the UCI Road World Championships 2025 stands as a celebration of Rwanda’s remarkable transformation. From the ashes of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, Rwanda has risen with resilience, unity, and vision. Sport, especially cycling, has become both a symbol and a driver of healing, inclusion, and growth.As the races commence, Rwanda warmly welcomes the world to witness history, embrace its culture, and share in unforgettable moments of resilience, progress, and world-class sport.