The 2025 UCI road world championships will break new ground as Rwanda becomes the first African nation to host cycling’s biggest annual event. The week-long competition in Kigali will crown junior, under-23, and elite world champions on the country’s famously hilly terrain.

Best known for the Tour du Rwanda, the East African nation’s punchy climbs promise to test riders making their debut on the continent.

Another milestone: for the first time, women under-23 riders will have their own stand-alone races, rather than competing alongside the elite field.

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Canada is sending a very strong team for that category—with a huge favourite in Isabella Holmgren. The 21-year-old just took two more rainbow jerseys at the MTB worlds and is looking to add to her collection. Given her prowess up the climbs—she smoked the field at the recent Tour de l’Avenir when the road went up—she has a very good chance of doing it again.

Of course, you can’t talk about the road worlds without mentioning Tadej Pogačar. The defending world champion comes into the worlds as the odds-on favourite for another rainbow jersey. However, the Slovenian isn’t just targeting one jersey—he’s also coming in to challenge Remco Evenepoel for the TT.

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Despite many big names going to the worlds, several have opted out. That includes defending women’s elite champ Lotte Kopecky, defending under-23 champ Puck Pieterse, and former champs Mads Pedersen and Mathieu van der Poel.

You can catch the 2025 UCI road world championships on Flobikes.com. And if you miss it, check back here at Canadian Cycling Magazine for daily reports and photos.

2025 UCI road worlds schedule

Sept. 21: women elite time trial, men elite time trial
Sept. 22: women under-23 time trial, men under-23 time trial
Sept. 23: women junior time trial, men junior time trial
Sept. 24: team time trial mixed relay
Sept. 25: women under-23 road race
Sept. 26: men junior road race, men under-23 road race
Sept. 27: women junior road race, women elite road race
Sept. 28: men elite road race

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