OUR RIDERS AT A HISTORIC WORLDS ON AFRICAN SOIL

Ten CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto riders representing eight nations will make the trip to Kigali, Rwanda, for the 2025 UCI Road World Championships.

This World Championships is unlike any before – it’s a historic milestone as the event comes to Africa for the first time in its 104-year history. As a team that values diversity, inclusivity, and global representation, we’re especially excited to see this edition come to life.

For one rider, the event will feel particularly special. Diane Ingabire, a Generation rider and three-time Rwandan National Champion in both the road race and time trial (2022-2024), has had these dates circled in her calendar for a long time. Targeting her best form for a home World Championships has been her season-long goal, and she’s thrilled that the moment is finally here.

“It’s really a surprise to be hosting the World Championships in our country – a beautiful and a good country. We are really happy. It’s not only in my country, but I think the whole of Africa is happy. It’s a new opportunity to represent myself, my team and also my country – the race will be very hard but I have to go all-out and show everyone what I have.”

Another landmark move in 2025 is the introduction of an entirely separate U23 women’s road race and time trial. Previously, the U23 rainbow jersey was awarded within the elite women’s races, but now the younger riders have their own dedicated events. Germany’s Justyna Czapla is a strong contender in both disciplines, while Zoe Bäckstedt focuses solely on the U23 time trial, where she starts as a clear favourite for the rainbow jersey. The Brit claimed the elite national title in June and has since added three professional TT victories at the Baloise and Simac Ladies Tours – results that have understandably boosted her confidence.

“They do give me some confidence, that’s for sure! The last time trials I did were really good for me, but they were also on a different type of course to worlds. I’m hoping that the legs I had in these last races show up and I can continue my streak! But also after these last races, I have no pressure to prove myself, so that’s what makes me more excited for the race!” Zoe says.

The 22.6km U23 time trial kicks off on Monday, September 22. A day earlier, all eyes will be on the 31.2km Elite Women’s Time Trial. The USA will be represented by the formidable two-time TT world champion and 2024 bronze medallist Chloé Dygert. Germany’s Antonia Niedermaier, fourth at last year’s Worlds and a double U23 TT champion, lines up in the elite field despite still being U23-eligible. Poland’s Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney, ever competitive once a number is pinned, lines up as one to watch, with the versatile Italian, Soraya Paladin, also stepping onto the time trial start ramp. Rwanda’s Diane, meanwhile, will be chasing the ride of her life with the backing of a home crowd.

Antonia shared her thoughts ahead of this year’s time trial:

“⁠⁠I chose to race in the elite because now that there are separate races. ⁠I think this year the course is again quite hard but not too technical, so I think it could suit me well. For sure, I come here with good feelings but also we have to see how I react to the long travel, the humidity and everything else. Of course, I want to try my best and hopefully I can match or even improve last year’s result, but there are also other riders are in super shape for sure.”

Sitting at 1850 metres above sea level, Kigali’s mix of high altitude and relentless climbing has led many to call the routes as some of the toughest in World Championships history. Although the U23 time trial is shorter, both categories will race on the same one-lap course, with the elite women facing an extended out-and-back section that takes them further along a main arterial road before U-turning. The route winds across the city’s hills, ridges, and valleys, mostly on wide main roads. The elite women will accumulate 456m of elevation, much of it on deceptively steady 5% gradients where mental resilience is as crucial as physical strength. Both races finish with a draining 2.4km stretch averaging 4.1%.

On Wednesday, Antonia, Soraya, and Diane will compete in the Mixed Team Relay on the same course, joined by Generation rider Florence Nakagwa from neighbouring Uganda. The momentous U23 road race follows on Thursday, where Florence and Justyna will make their second and final appearances of the championships.

The Championships culminate on the second weekend with the Elite Women’s Road Race on Saturday, where a third African rider, Maddie le Roux of South Africa, and Germany’s Ricarda Bauernfeind will join their five other trade teammates to tackle a gruelling 165km course that, on paper, looks especially demanding.

Like the time trial’s inner-city course, both women’s road races unfold on a 15.1km circuit in Kigali – eight laps for the U23 and eleven for the elite. Each lap is defined by two back-to-back climbs: first 0.8km at 8.1%, followed by a descent into the cobbled Côte de Kimihurura (1.3km at 6.6%), both with spikes to over 10%. The latter tops out less than a kilometre from the finish, leading straight into a final drag to the line. With more than 3100m of climbing packed into the elite race, the parcours is unrelenting; a selective, attritional test that undoubtedly favours the very strongest of riders.

HOW TO FOLLOW

Elite Women Time Trial | Sunday, Sept 21  | 31.2km | 455m elevation | Start 10:10 CET – finish 12:55 CET.

U23 Women Time Trial | Monday, Sept 22  | 22.6km | 331m elevation | Start 10:35 CET – finish 12:45 CET.

Mixed Team Time Trial | Wednesday, Sept 24  | 42.4km | 695m elevation | Start 12:30 CET – finish 17:00 CET.

U23 Women Road Race | Thursday, Sept 25  | 119.3km | 2277m elevation | Start 13:05 CET – fastest finish 16:30 CET.

Elite Women Road Race | Saturday, Sept 27  | 164.6km | 3131m elevation | Start 12:05 CET – fastest finish 16:45 CET.

Live coverage of most events will be available on Eurosport, TNT Sport, Discovery+, FloBikes, the UCI YouTube channel, and many regional broadcasters. Stay updated on X with #Kigali2025, and follow CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto’s social channels for all the latest team news.