France\u2019s C\u00e9lia Gery outsprinted Slovakia\u2019s Vikt\u00f3ria Chlado\u0148ov\u00e1 to take the rainbow jersey, at the first first standalone under 23 women\u2019s world road race champs. Isabell Holmgren, who was at the front for the majority of the race, finished 6th.<\/p>\n
The 119.3-km race took place over eight laps of a 15.1-kilometre Kigali circuit. It featured the C\u00f4te de Kigali Golf (800 m at 8.1 per cent) and the cobbled C\u00f4te de Kimihurura (1.3 km at 6.3 per cent, finishing with a technical 600-metre stretch. Riders faced a total of 2,770 m of climbing.<\/p>\n
Team Canada early on<\/p>\n
The red-and-white jerseys of Team Canada controlled the race early on. Jazmine Lavergne (who also rode the TT), Anabelle Thomas and Jenaya Francis set a tough pace, with many riders falling off. Eventually there was only Francis and Isabella Holmgren left in the reduced bunch. Missing in action was her sister Ava.<\/p>\n
Ava had a sinus infection and was a DNS. Earlier in the week she had a strong time trial, showing she had good form<\/a>. Francis rode well to protect Holmgren, even catching back on a few times after being distance.<\/p>\n How to Watch the 2025 UCI Road Worlds in Canada<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n The tough course quickly thinned the field, with notable riders like Britain\u2019s Cat Ferguson struggling. Czech rider Julia Kopeck\u00fd repeatedly tested the cobbled climbs but could not escape, and Bego\u2019s subsequent attacks continued to falter. Attrition began to set in and riders continued to fall off the pace.<\/p>\n THE WOOORLD IS YOURS \ud83c\udf08<\/p>\n Celia Gery crowned U23 World Champion ! pic.twitter.com\/y3afZtqnWK<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 FDJ \u2013 SUEZ (@FDJ_SUEZ) September 25, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n The decisive moves began on the penultimate lap. Bego established a gap with Germany\u2019s Justyna Czapla, Switzerland\u2019s Anina Hutter, and Spain\u2019s Paula Blasi, but Holmgren and the peloton pulled them back. Poland\u2019s Malwina Mul launched a powerful attack, gaining a significant lead before Gery and Chlado\u0148ov\u00e1 caught her on the C\u00f4te de Kigali Golf.<\/p>\n Pour le collectif \ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7 \u2014 Team Cofidis (@TeamCOFIDIS) September 25, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n In the final lap, a leading group of 14 riders, including Holmgren, Blasi, Bunel, and later De Schepper, battled for the win. Bunel set the pace for her teammate Gery, who timed her final sprint perfectly to overtake Chlado\u0148ov\u00e1. Holmgren rode in for 6th. Jenaya Francis, after working hard for Holmgren for most of the day, finished 34th.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Results powered by FirstCycling.com<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2070Julie Bego, active et offensive, a anim\u00e9 la course et a contribu\u00e9 au titre de C\u00e9lia Gery sur les Championnats du monde U23 \ud83c\udf08#Kigali2025<\/a> \ud83d\udcf7 Getty Images pic.twitter.com\/RLEz4yx67o<\/a><\/p>\n