The Championship Race: Can Kukuk or Smolders Stop Gilles Thomas in Rome?

The 2025 Longines Global Champions Tour Championship is coming to a head - and as the season’s penultimate stages approach, the tension could not be higher. With just three stages left - Rome, Rabat and Riyadh - the battle for the crown is delicately poised between youth, experience, and mathematical possibility.

At just 27 years and 6 months old, Belgium’s Gilles Thomas is on the verge of history. He’s officially the youngest ever LGCT Champion, taking the record from Britain’s Scott Brash, who claimed his title at 27 years and 11 months. Sitting on 261 points, Gilles has led the standings almost from start to finish this season. But the fight isn’t quite over yet…

We’ve done the maths — and the race is still alive.

Germany’s Christian Kukuk, currently on 206 points, is the only rider with a realistic chance of catching Gilles — but it will take nothing short of perfection. With drop scores in play and two major point hauls still to come before the Championship Finals in Riyadh, Kukuk must finish inside the Top 4 in Rome to keep his title hopes alive. If he finishes outside that range, Gilles becomes champion automatically, regardless of what happens next.

Conversely, if Gilles can deliver a Top 6 finish in Rome, he will mathematically secure the 2025 Longines Global Champions Tour Championship — and with it, his place in the history books.

But as every fan knows, this sport loves a plot twist.

Enter Harrie Smolders, the master tactician sitting in fourth place on 174 points. An outside shot, yes — but one not entirely out of the equation. With three stages still to ride, Smolders’ path to glory would require a flawless run: he must compete through Rome, Rabat, and Riyadh, and collect maximum points at every turn. If he wins all three, his total would climb to 294 points, just ahead of Gilles’ current 261.

And crucially, Smolders has already proven he and his long-time partner Monaco are still among the most formidable pairings in the sport. With two LGCT Grand Prix victories this season, they’ve shown their trademark composure and class on the biggest stages — and Rome could mark their third win of the year.

Yet quietly, in third place, Denmark’s Andreas Schou continues to impress with a season defined by consistency. Sitting on 182 points, this is the highest he has ever been in the LGCT Championship standings. Due to the drop score rule, and having already competed in 11 stages this season with consistently strong performances, Schou has fewer low results left to discard - making his path to the title all the more challenging. To have any mathematical shot at the championship, he would need to win all three remaining stages - a monumental task, but one that reflects just how exceptional his 2025 campaign has been. In Rome, he brings forward Billy Matador, a horse still seeking its first LGCT podium, and with only one horse in play this week, there will be no room for error.

From maths to momentum.

Rome, with its timeless setting at the Circus Maximus, could once again deliver the kind of drama that defines a generation. This ancient amphitheatre - where champions of old once fought for glory - will now host a modern-day duel of nerve, strategy, and horsepower.

HORSEPOWER IN ROME — SNAPSHOT

Behind every champion is a horse that defines their season. As we head to Rome, the horsepower stakes are just as intriguing as the points table.

Monaco (Harrie Smolders) - 11x LGCT podiums, a true veteran of the circuit, whose experience and precision have already delivered two Grand Prix wins this season.

Checker 47 (Christian Kukuk) - 3x LGCT podiums, the fiery powerhouse whose raw speed and scope make him one of the most thrilling horses on tour.

Qualista DN (Gilles Thomas) - 2x LGCT podiums, the rising star’s partner in his New York victory, combining agility and heart in equal measure.

Each brings a different weapon to Rome - experience, power, or youth - and together, they set the stage for a showdown rich in both statistics and storylines.

For Gilles, it’s the chance to complete a masterpiece season: second in Shanghai with Luna van het Dennehof, victory in Paris with Ermitage Kalone, and a commanding win in New York aboard Qualista DN. Calm under pressure, efficient, and ice-cold when it counts - he’s looked every inch the champion-in-waiting.

For Kukuk, the task is monumental but not impossible. The 35-year-old German, who finished second overall last season behind Max Kühner, knows how to fight until the final stride. His win in London aboard Checker 47 was a reminder of his class and courage, and his recent form suggests he’s not done yet. As he said earlier this year: “If he is on fire, I know that we can win anything.”

And for Smolders - the ultimate strategist - the mission is crystal clear. It’s win or bust in Rome. With Monaco in top form and the stakes sky-high, the Dutchman could yet extend the fight for the 2025 title deep into the desert finale in Riyadh.

The stage is set.

As the Longines Global Champions Tour heads into its 14th stage from 10–12 October in Rome, everything points to a weekend of high stakes, heart-stopping moments, and championship-defining performances.

Gilles Thomas could become the youngest champion in Tour history. Christian Kukuk could ignite one of the great late-season comebacks. Or Harrie Smolders and Monaco could keep the flame of hope alive a little longer.

Whatever unfolds under the Roman sky, the story of the 2025 Championship is far from over - and it’s about to get very, very interesting.

Watch every round, every rail, and every defining moment live and on demand on GCTV as the Longines Global Champions Tour of Rome unfolds at the iconic Circus Maximus from 10–12 October.