A year after claiming the junior rainbow jersey in Zurich, Finn delivered a masterclass of tactics and strength, sealing his second world title in as many years with a decisive late solo move.
The race started with high tempo, and before the first lap was even completed, an early three-man breakaway, including Michal Pomorski (Poland), Danylo Kozoriz (Ukraine), and Ramazan Yilmaz (Turkey), surged ahead, building a 24-second gap. But the peloton, strong and controlled, hunted them down methodically, with Kozoriz the last of the three to be reeled back in after 142 km.
Kigali's searing heat and relentless climbs soon began to take their toll. Riders from the UAE, Thailand, Turkey, Seychelles, and Slovakia were among the first to drop out, and by the fourth lap, only 77 of the initial 121 starters remained in contention.
As the race moved into its middle stages, Belgium took the reins, ramping up the pace to force further splits. Riders like Germany's Mauro Brenner struggled to keep up, while early attacks from Italy's Pietro Mattio and Belgium's Jasper Schoofs were neutralised by the chasing pack. The peloton grew thinner as the pressure mounted.
Spain's Héctor Álvarez ignites the race
With 62 km remaining, Spain's Héctor Álvarez launched a bold solo attack that shook up the race. His move created immediate gaps, and although Belgium's Jarno Widar tried to bridge the gap, Álvarez's sustained effort shattered the group, and a select chase formed behind him. By 45 km to go, Álvarez had a small lead, joined by Finn and four others, but the pace continued to ramp up as the final laps loomed.
Finn makes his move
As the lead group hit the Côte de Kimihurura climb, just 30 km from the finish, the race reached its tipping point. With perfect timing, Finn attacked, surging away from the others with precision and power. Only Switzerland's Jan Huber could match him, and together they built a 47-second gap as they entered the final lap, while the chasers struggled to keep up.
Inside the last 10 km, however, the partnership between Finn and Huber began to unravel. With just 6.5 km to go, Finn attacked once again, leaving Huber behind and riding solo to victory.
The Italian crossed the line with a time of 3:57:27, arms raised in triumph, as the streets of Kigali erupted in celebration. Behind him, Huber held on for silver at +31 seconds, while Austria's Marco Schrettl took bronze at +1:13.
A triumph for the ages
Finn's victory places him in rarefied company, joining the ranks of cycling legends like Greg LeMond, Remco Evenepoel, Mathieu van der Poel, and Matej Mohorič, who have won world titles across multiple age categories.
'It's exactly one year, '26. It's like last year, it's just unreal,' Finn remarked.
Kigali's unforgettable roar
Reflecting on the electric atmosphere at the finish, Finn said: 'The last 500 meters, my ears were hurting from how loud the crowd was. People from different nations were cheering me on! The people here in Kigali are fantastic. It's been a wonderful week, and I'll remember it for the rest of my life.'
When it came to race tactics, Finn acknowledged the uncertainty of how things would play out: 'We wanted to see what Belgium wanted to do at the start of the race. They kept it pretty controlled for the first half, so we tried to save some energy. Then it was just like all hell broke looseâ€"just attacks everywhere. Luckily, I had some good legs. I thought I was suffering, but then I asked my teammates too. They were suffering, so it was a hard second part of the race.'
At just 18, the youngest in the decisive front group, Finn is already a two-time world champion. Looking ahead, he now has his sights set on joining the WorldTour in 2026 while continuing his development.
'When you've got this jersey, you've got to show it,' Finn said, already thinking of his next big challenge.
Rwanda's riders put up a brave fight
For the host nation, the race was a monumental challenge, but also a proud moment. Four Rwandan riders, Niyonkuru Samuel, Tuyizere Etienne, Ufitimana Shadrack, and Ruhumuriza Aime, took on the world's best in front of a home crowd. However, the tough course proved too much for most. Only Niyonkuru Samuel finished the race, marking a hard-fought but ultimately proud showing for the Rwandan team.
Men's Under 23 Road Race: Top 10 Results
1. Lorenzo Mark Finn (ITA) â€" 3:57:27
2. Jan Huber (SUI) â€" 3:57:58 (+0:31)
3. Marco Schrettl (AUT) â€" 3:58:40 (+1:13)
4. Héctor Álvarez Martínez (ESP) â€" 3:59:05 (+1:38)
5. Mateusz Gajdulewicz (POL) â€" 3:59:09 (+1:42)
6. Pau Martí Soriano (ESP) â€" 3:59:49 (+2:22)
7. Victor Loulergue (FRA) â€" 3:59:49 (+2:22)
8. Robin Donzé (SUI) â€" 3:59:51 (+2:24)
9. Adria Pericas Capdevila (ESP) â€" 3:59:51 (+2:24)
10. Mateo Pablo Ramírez Torres (ECU) â€" 3:59:51 (+2:24)
Wycliffe Nyamasege
