Latest news with #KingoftheMountain
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Who is Tadej Pogacar? Get to know 2025 Tour de France leader, likely 4-time champ
The 2025 Tour de France has gone to plan, and that means star rider Tadej Pogačar is poised to win the event for the fourth time in his career. Pogačar has been the top dog in cycling over the last six years, though his battles with Jonas Vingegaard and Mathieu van der Poel can't be called one-sided. At the Tour de France, Pogačar is in line to win his fourth championship in six attempts, while Vingegaard (who sits second in this year's general classification) has won twice. What's impressive is that Pogačar has also shown proficiency in pursuing King of the Mountain titles as well, finishing atop the category twice at the Tour de France and once at the Giro d'Italia. With Pogačar holding big leads in the general and mountain classifications heading into the 21st and final stage, he's set to expand his personal trophy case on Sunday. Here is what to know about the 2025 Tour de France leader Tadej Pogačar: Tour de France Stage 20 results: Tour de France results: Race outlook after Kaden Groves wins Stage 20 Who is Tadej Pogacar? Meed the Tour de France star Tadej Pogačar, 26, has emerged in recent years as the biggest force in men's cycling. Per Rouleur, Pogačar, a Ljubljana, Slovenia native, took up the sport at nine years old, idolizing greats like Tour de France winners Alberto Contador and Andy Schleck. Pogačar started out with the Rog-Ljubljana cycling club, impressing in youth events — including the 2018 Tour de l'Avenir, a race for cyclists between the ages of 17-22 that takes place on much of the same course as the Tour de France — before moving on to his current team, UAE Team Emirates XRG in 2019. After a promising start as a professional, he won the 2019 Tour of California at age 20, making him the youngest cyclist to ever win a UCI WorldTour stage race. Shortly thereafter, he won three stages of the Vuelta de España, finishing third overall and claiming the Young Rider title at one of cycling's biggest races (a.k.a. the Grand Tours). Since then, Pogačar has been nothing short of dominant. In 2020, the plan for his debut at the Tour de France was initially for the youngster to be a support rider for UAE Team Emirates XRG's Fabio Aru. However, Aru withdrew after nine stages, and Pogačar seized the moment. Just 21 years old, he would pick up the yellow jersey, winning three stages en route to becoming the first rider since 1983 to win the Tour de France in his debut appearance. Over the past five years, Pogačar has an unparalleled record. He won the Tour de France again in 2021 and 2024, and currently leads the field by over four minutes at the ongoing 2025 edition. He claimed his first Giro d'Italia in 2024 as well, leaving a general classification win at the Vuelta de España as the one box left unchecked in his success at the Grand Tours. Pogačar has not raced in the Vuelta since 2019 and has not yet committed to the 2025 version, but speculation is rampant that he will do so later this year. Overall, Pogačar has won 14 stage races, 24 one-day races, and has been the top-ranked cyclist in the UCI World Rankings for four straight years. He also won the bronze medal in the men's road race at the Tokyo Summer Olympics. Tour de France 2025: How to watch, TV channel, streaming Every stage of the 2025 Tour de France will stream live on Peacock. Coverage will begin at 6 or 6:30 a.m. ET, depending on the stage. NBC will broadcast a highlights and analysis show after stage 21, with coverage beginning at 2 p.m. ET. Watch the 2025 Tour de France on Peacock
Time Out
7 days ago
- Automotive
- Time Out
A historic comeback: Speed Classic Cape Town returns after 60 years
Motorsport is coming back to the heart of Cape Town this October as the Speed Classic Cape Town takes place on Philip Kgosana Drive. This two-day invitational event celebrates speed, heritage, and craftsmanship. The event, backed by Motorsport South Africa and the City of Cape Town, marks the revival of competitive hillclimb racing in Cape Town – a tradition that began in 1912, with races held on Camps Bay Drive, Signal Hill Road, and Kloof Road. The last known hillclimb on Camps Bay Drive was in 1962. Co-founder Garth Mackintosh explains, "We're not just creating another motorsport event. We're building a celebration of legacy, innovation, and craftsmanship." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Speed Classic Cape Town (@ The event includes two competitions: Classic Car Saturday (25 October): Highlighting vintage cars and classic engineering. King of the Mountain (26 October): Modern performance cars competing over 2.1km of winding road with a 150-meter climb. Attendees can also expect demonstration runs, local food vendors, hospitality lounges, and a range of activities. Event details: Dates: 25 and 26 October 2025 Location: Philip Kgosana Drive, Gardens Good to know: Applications for drivers close on 15 August, with tickets available for purchase from 1 August. Motorsport's Moment in South Africa The return of the Speed Classic isn't just a nostalgic revival, but part of an accelerated focus on local motorsport events to feature on the international racing calendar. Cape Town has already hosted the inaugural Cape Town E‑Prix in 2023 with a high-speed street circuit weaving through the city's Atlantic Seaboard suburbs of Green Point, Granger Bay, and Mouille Point. Most notably, South Africa is in the midst of a high-stakes bid to bring Formula 1 back home for the first time in over three decades. The Department of Sport, Arts, and Culture has tabled its ambitious proposal for a Cape Town street circuit that would run through the inner city and the V&A Waterfront. Meanwhile, Kyalami, the historic circuit near Johannesburg, has received FIA approval for a Grade 1 upgrade - further clearing the path for an F1 comeback. Critics argue that hosting F1 in South Africa is a costly luxury in a country facing pressing socio-economic challenges, with concerns around funding transparency and public benefit. However, Minister Gayton McKenzie stated South Africa "can't afford to host Formula 1." He drew a parallel to the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which showcased the country's ability to successfully host a major global event and left a lasting economic and reputational legacy. He urged critics to consider the fierce competition among nations to remain on the F1 calendar - proof, he said, of the sport's undeniable value. 'It can't be called a world championship if it overlooks an entire continent - especially sub-Saharan Africa,' McKenzie added.
The South African
22-07-2025
- Automotive
- The South African
New Cape Town hillclimb aims to dethrone famous Simola race
It's official – Cape Town is getting its own premier hillclimb event. On 25 and 26 October 2025, vintage and modern race cars will roar up Philip Kgosana Drive in a battle for the inaugural 'King of the Mountain' crown. Dubbed the Speed Classic Cape Town, the event is being hailed as a raw test of both driver skill and machine performance. The 2.1km course – 200 metres longer than the famed Simola Hillclimb in Knysna – features a more technical layout that promises to push competitors to the limit. Participation in the Speed Classic Cape Town won't be open to everyone. Entry is by invitation only (from selected applicants), with a curated grid of just 80 cars to ensure elite competition. Entrants are selected by a committee, and applications are now open until 15 August. Drivers will be notified of the outcome of their application between 22 and 24 August. Philip Kgosana Drive (the former De Waal Drive) will serve as the 'track' for the hillclimb time trial. The Speed Classic Cape Town hillclimb route. Image: Google Maps The 2.1km course, will use the contour road that runs from Walmer Estate to the bottom of Vredehoek on the edge of the city. Each car will launch every 30 seconds, as drivers vie for class honours and a place in the final King of the Mountain Shootout – a no-holds-barred dash to determine the event's fastest car-and-driver pairing. Classic Car Saturday (25 October) will showcase vintage machinery in all its glory. King of the Mountain Sunday (26 October) will feature cutting-edge performance cars and manufacturer-backed entries. Speed Classic Cape Town entry fees and perks Classic Car Saturday: From R10 000Manufacturer entries: From R15 000 Shootout participation: Flat fee of R15 000 (applies to all finalists)
TimesLIVE
21-07-2025
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
Speed Classic Cape Town hillclimb to thrill the Mother City in October
Entry applications for the inaugural Speed Classic Cape Town are open. After months of rumour sand hearsay, organisers have confirmed the new hillclimb event will take place in the Mother City on October 25 and 26. Described as a "'pure test of driver skill and machine performance", the course will challenge competitors with a winding 2.1km climb up Philip Kgosana Drive at the foot of Table Mountain, 200m longer than the Simola Hillclimb and arguably more technical. Entry is by application only with a committee selecting a limited grid of 80 entrants to ensure the highest level of competition. With cars launching every 30 seconds, competitors will battle for class honours and the coveted King of the Mountain Shootout, reserved for the fastest car-and-driver pairing from each major class. The winner of the all-or-nothing finale will be crowned the inaugural King of the Mountain. October 25, Classic Car Saturday, is dedicated to vintage machinery, and October 26, King of the Mountain Sunday, is set aside for more contemporary race equipment.
The Citizen
18-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Hyundai Ioniq 5 N ready to tame 20km Pikes Peak hill challenge
All-electric hot hatch pumps out 478kW of power and 770Nm of instant torque. The 103rd running of what is without a doubt the most iconic hill climb event in the world, Pikes Peak, kicks off this weekend. First ran back in 1916, it's a high-altitude hill climb that tests man and machine equally with its 156 corners and 20km of flat-out racing. With no room for error and the outrageously high speeds attained, there is always action a plenty. The defending champion is Romain Dumas. He blitzed the hill in a time of eight minutes 53.553 seconds in a Ford F-150 Lightning SuperTruck to be crowned King of the Mountain. Dumas is no stranger to the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, having competed in the event nine times already. He is the current overall Pikes Peak record holder with a time of 7:57.148. A feat he achieved back in 2018 while driving the Volkswagen I.D. R. Hyundai Ioniq 5 N enters fray Pikes Peak is an event that attracts all sorts of entries. One such entry that caught our eye is the Evasive Motorsports Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Pikes Peak car. Established in 2002 and based in Cerritos, Southern California, this new collaboration with Hyundai North America is Evasive Motorsports' most ambitious EV project to date. They have taken a 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N off the showroom floor and engineered it into a hill climb monster. Here's the kicker, because the electric motors of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N can't be tuned, they will be left in standard road-going trim. And believe it or not, even though this setup offers 478kW of power and 770Nm of instant torque (with N Grin Boost activated), it's not enough to take a class win. ALSO READ: Hyundai Alcazar has an ace up its sleeve against Chinese SUVs Shedding some weight Evasive Motorsports have prioritised other areas of the car to find the pace they require. These measures come in the form of extra downforce and weight saving, where their in-house EVS Tuning division successfully shaved 226kg from the car. This was achieved by stripping the interior and fabricating four doors and the tailgate from carbon fibre. Voltex Japan provided its expertise in crafting the one-off aero-enhancing components using 3D scans. These parts include a front lip, carbon fibre splitter, side skirts, fender flares, underbody aero panels, and a massive rear wing to provide the necessary downforce for the Evasive Motorsports Hyundai Ioniq 5 N that takes on the Pikes Peak Hill Climb in Colorado in the United States. Krontec air jacks allow easy removal of the lightweight forged racing wheels. You have 11-inch Titan 7 T-P10 alloys running on 310/690 VR19 Yokohama A005 racing slicks doing duty here. Veteran behind steering wheel Additional modifications include prototype EVS Tuning anti-roll bars front and rear, a custom six-point roll cage fabricated by Eimer Engineering. The Evasive Motorsports Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Pikes Peak car also features a one-off Moton coilover suspension designed by Mike Kojima from MotoIQ. ALSO READ: Hyundai eyeing Ranger and Hilux bakkie rival by at least 2029 Returning for this 2025 Pikes Peak attempt is veteran driver Rob Walker who has competed in the Evasive Motorsports Scion FR-S and Toyota 86 from 2013 to 2016. Walker is eager to get back into his Pikes Peak race rhythm and has been using sim racing to refresh his muscle memory of the 20km sprint.
