When pride clashes with pressure, sparks fly – and in Kigali, Ben Healy saw it all unfold up close. The 2025 UCI Road World Championships turned intense when Remco Evenepoel’s frustration boiled over after Tadej Pogacar’s race-defining move on Mount Kigali. According to Healy, what unfolded wasn’t just a battle of legs and lungs, but also of ego and emotion. But here’s where it gets controversial – Healy openly questioned Evenepoel’s version of events, suggesting the Belgian star’s mechanical excuse didn’t quite line up with what really happened.
Healy described how tension rose the moment Pogacar attacked. “When Tadej goes and Remco can’t, he kind of panics,” Healy shared on The Roadman Podcast. The Irish rider hinted that Evenepoel’s complaints about a slipping saddle were mental more than mechanical. Earlier in the race, Evenepoel had surged with explosive power, proving his legs were fine. “If your saddle’s off by a millimetre, you’re not fixing that mid-race,” Healy said. “You’re only making it worse.” That remark alone is bound to divide opinions among cycling fans – was it truly a flaw in the setup or a crack under pressure?
Evenepoel’s mechanic fires back
Things didn’t calm down after the finish line. Healy recalled how Evenepoel’s own mechanic — who also happens to be his cousin — dismissed the equipment excuse. “After the race, his mechanic actually called him out about the second bike, saying they didn’t know what issue he was talking about,” Healy revealed. When Evenepoel appeared to publicly shift the blame to his crew, the pushback from within his camp was immediate. “He deserved that,” Healy admitted with a laugh. “He tried to throw his mechanic under the bus on TV, messing with the saddle and everything, so they basically said, ‘We don’t know what’s wrong with him.’” That kind of internal tension rarely becomes public — and yet, here it was, laid bare for everyone to see.
The unstoppable Pogacar factor
Healy made it clear that the real story in Kigali wasn’t about faulty saddles. It was about Pogacar’s sheer firepower. “Remco was really strong — like a train — towing the group most of the day while we just hung on,” Healy said. “But when Tadej lit it up, nobody could follow.” He compared Evenepoel’s collapse to a sudden detonation: “It’s like he’s taken a cyanide tablet; he just blows up.” A brutal analogy, but one that captures the difference between great and extraordinary.
Healy also pointed toward a deeper source of Evenepoel’s struggles — one inside his own head. “He’s not used to being beaten,” Healy explained. “Since his junior years, he’s been the guy riding everyone off his wheel. When someone like Pogacar comes along and outdoes him, that’s tough to accept.” Love him or not, Evenepoel’s unrelenting self-belief fuels both his greatness and his volatility.
A lesson in patience and control
While Evenepoel’s drama stole headlines, Healy himself quietly rode to an impressive bronze. His strategy? Stay calm and conserve. “It was about managing the conditions,” he said, describing the punishing altitude and poor air quality around Kigali. “You could feel it — the pollution was insane.” Rather than try to match the fireworks too early, Healy focused on efficiency. “My average power numbers weren’t huge,” he admitted. “But I rode smart, saving energy for when it mattered.”
He gave credit to the Irish team for their disciplined approach. “It was a real team effort,” Healy said. “Without the support I had, there’s no way I’d have been up there.” The tactic paid off — Healy finished just behind Pogacar and Evenepoel, claiming third spot on the world’s biggest stage.
Dreaming beyond bronze
Winning bronze in Kigali didn’t satisfy Healy — it only fueled his ambition. “I was over the moon standing on the podium with those two guys,” he said. “But the dream is still the rainbow jersey.” That hunger for more hints at an upcoming showdown. Could Healy be the next rider to truly challenge Pogacar’s dominance?
And here’s where fans might split again: is Healy right that Evenepoel’s issues are mental rather than mechanical, or is that an unfair take from a rival in the heat of competition? Either way, it seems clear that cycling’s next great rivalry is brewing. What do you think — was Evenepoel unlucky, or did Pogacar simply expose his limits?