The UCI Road World Championships have customarily opened with the individual time trial events in recent years, and Kigali 2025 follows suits, with the elite time trials the first event of the championships, taking place on Sunday 21 September.
The rolling Kigali course is one of the most challenging in recent memory. Beginning at the BK Arena and finishing in the Kigali Convention Centre, the women face a 31.2 kilometre test while the men’s race measures 40.6 kilometres. With 460m of ascent for the women and 680 for the men, barely any flat, and a tough cobbled climb – the Côte de Kimihurura – at the end of the route, it’s not a time trial for the faint-hearted. It will require a clear pacing strategy, and will likely favour the time trialists who are also strong climbers, making it a more demanding test for powerful flat specialists.
Last year’s world champion Grace Brown, who won the rainbow jersey in consummate style in Zurich in 2024, having finished second in the two previous editions of the race, retired at the end of the season so will not defend her title.
Two former world champions will attempt to add another rainbow jersey to their collection, however. Winner in 2020, Anna van der Breggen will go for a second world title at 11:20, in what has been an impressive comeback year for her. The USA’s Chloé Dygert, winner in 2019 and 2023, heads off for her attempt at 12:07, the penultimate rider to depart.
Other notable departure times: Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (Poland): 11:22; Anna Henderson (Great Britain); Cédrine Kerbaol (France): 11:25
Following on in the afternoon, the elite men’s chrono test begins at 13:45 local time (13:45 CEST/12:45 BST) with the first rider once again a home talent, Rwanda’s Shemu Nsengiyumva.
With 2021 winner Filippo Ganna of Italy and 2022’s rainbow jersey Tobias Foss of Norway not travelling to Kigali, defending champion Remco Evenepoel of Belgium will be the only former winner to start the race. He will be the final rider down the ramp, departing for his attempt at 16:00.
His main challenger is expected to be reigning road world champion and Tour de France winner Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia). Pogačar departs just before him, at 15:57, meaning that the Belgian will have the incentive of chasing Pogačar to drive him on.
Another strong time trial specialist, though one who may struggle with the amount of elevation along the course, Switzerland’s Stefan Küng begins his attempt at 15:55.
One of the most eagerly anticipated arrivals this year is that of French sensation Paul Seixas. Taking the junior title in Zurich in 2024, Seixas has performed well in his first season riding as a pro for Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale, and will skip the U23 category – in accordance with new UCI rules which do not allow riders with a pro contract to race at U23 level – to make his elite debut in Kigali. Also a world champion in Zurich, at U23 level, Spain’s Iván Romeo will be another young star making his elite debut in Kigali. The two rising stars set off at 15:15 and 15:42, respectively.
Other notable departure times: Jay Vine (Australia): 15:50, Isaac Del Toro (Mexico): 15:37; Lucas Plapp (Australia) 15:22; Bruno Armirail (France): 15:52.
Check out the riders to watch in the men’s individual time trial in our in-depth preview.
Women’s elite time trial start times
Start Time |
Name |
---|---|
10:22:30 |
Xaveline Nirere (RWA) |
10:25:00 |
Kholoud Al-Kuwari (QAT) |
10:27:30 |
Serkalem Watango (ETH) |
10:30:00 |
Monica Kiplagat (KEN) |
10:32:30 |
Lobopo Kono (BOT) |
10:35:00 |
Natalia Frolova (AIN) |
10:37:30 |
Jamila Abdullah (TAN) |
10:40:00 |
Namukasa Trinitah (UGA) |
10:42:30 |
Faina Potapova (KAZ) |
10:45:00 |
Kendra Tabu (KEN) |
10:47:30 |
Hermionne Ahouissou (BEN) |
10:50:00 |
Soraya Paladin (ITA) |
10:52:30 |
Hao Zhang (CHN) |
10:55:00 |
Yulduz Hashimi (AFG) |
10:57:30 |
Lolwa Al Marri (QAT) |
11:00:00 |
Brhan Abrha (ETH) |
11:02:30 |
Sigrid Ytterhus Haugset (NOR) |
11:05:00 |
Lucie de Marigny Lagesse (MRI) |
11:07:30 |
Marthe Goossens (BEL) |
11:10:00 |
Aurelie Halbwachs (MRI) |
11:12:30 |
Olivia Baril (CAN) |
11:15:00 |
Akpeiil Ossim (KAZ) |
11:17:30 |
Teniel Campbell (TTO) |
11:20:00 |
Anna van der Breggen (NED) |
11:22:30 |
Katarzyna Anna Niewiadoma (POL) |
11:25:00 |
Cedrine Kerbaol (FRA) |
11:27:30 |
Monica Trinca Colonel (ITA) |
11:30:00 |
Ruth Edwards (USA) |
11:32:30 |
Diane Ingabire (RWA) |
11:35:00 |
Nora Jenčušova (SVK) |
11:37:30 |
Wing Yee Leung (HKG) |
11:40:00 |
Mireia Benito Pellicer (ESP) |
11:42:30 |
Diana Carolina Penuela Martinez (COL) |
11:45:00 |
Anna Kiesenhofer (AUT) |
11:47:30 |
Urška Žigart (SLO) |
11:50:00 |
Katrine Aalerud (NOR) |
11:52:30 |
Yuliia Biriukova (UKR) |
11:55:00 |
Marlen Reusser (SUI) |
11:57:30 |
Brodie Chapman (AUS) |
12:00:00 |
Antonia Niedermaier (GER) |
12:02:30 |
Juliette Labous (FRA) |
12:05:00 |
Anna Henderson (GBR) |
12:07:30 |
Chloe Dygert (USA) |
12:10:00 |
Demi Vollering (NED) |
Men’s elite time trial start times
Start Time |
Name |
---|---|
13:45:00 |
Shemu Nsengiyumva (RWA) |
13:47:30 |
Boniphase Ngwata (TAN) |
13:50:00 |
Jalal Edward (SSD) |
13:52:30 |
Ibrahim Jalloh (SLE) |
13:55:00 |
Siriki Diarra (MLI) |
13:57:30 |
Chiekhouna Cisse (SEN) |
14:00:00 |
Ahmad Badreddin Wais (REF) |
14:02:30 |
Mohamed Houlder Fitahiantsoa (MAD) |
14:05:00 |
Apolinario Ca (GBS) |
14:07:30 |
Abderemane Dahalani (COM) |
14:10:00 |
Ricardo Sodjede (BEN) |
14:12:30 |
Jiankun Liu (CHN) |
14:15:00 |
Hassan Sharif (TAN) |
14:17:30 |
Laurent Gervais (CAN) |
14:20:00 |
Dictor Mut (SSD) |
14:22:30 |
Mustapha Koroma (SLE) |
14:25:00 |
Victor Akpabli (GHA) |
14:27:30 |
Florian Vermeersch (BEL) |
14:30:00 |
Djandouba Diallo (MLI) |
14:32:30 |
Edwin Ndungu (KEN) |
14:35:00 |
Bizay Redae (ETH) |
14:37:30 |
Briton John (GUY) |
14:40:00 |
Artem Nych (AIN) |
14:42:30 |
Majid Abu Harrah (JOR) |
14:45:00 |
Ahmet Orken (TUR) |
14:47:30 |
Red Walters (GRN) |
14:50:00 |
Aurelien de Comarmond (MRI) |
14:52:30 |
Haoyu Su (CHN) |
14:55:00 |
Byron Munton (RSA) |
14:57:30 |
Michael Shea Leonard (CAN) |
15:00:00 |
Rein Taaramae (EST) |
15:02:30 |
Darren Rafferty (IRL) |
15:05:00 |
Ilan van Wilder (BEL) |
15:07:30 |
Raul Garcia Pierna (ESP) |
15:10:00 |
Matteo Sobrero (ITA) |
15:12:30 |
Lucas Plapp (AUS) |
15:15:00 |
Paul Seixas (FRA) |
15:17:30 |
Mauro Schmid (SUI) |
15:20:00 |
Moise Mugisha (RWA) |
15:22:30 |
Andreas Leknessund (NOR) |
15:25:00 |
Brandon Downes (RSA) |
15:27:30 |
Alexandre Mayer (MRI) |
15:30:00 |
William Barta (USA) |
15:32:30 |
Miguel Heidemann (GER) |
15:35:00 |
Thymen Arensman (NED) |
15:37:30 |
Isaac del Toro Romero (MEX) |
15:40:00 |
Ryan William Mullen (IRL) |
15:42:30 |
Ivan Romeo Abad (ESP) |
15:45:00 |
Mattia Cattaneo (ITA) |
15:47:30 |
Walter Alejandro Vargas Alzate (COL) |
15:50:00 |
Jay Vine (AUS) |
15:52:30 |
Bruno Armirail (FRA) |
15:55:00 |
Stefan Kung (SUI) |
15:57:30 |
Tadej Pogačar (SLO) |
16:00:00 |
Remco Evenepoel (BEL) |
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