Published September 24, 2025 12:40PM
Schedule UCI Road World Championships Day 5: Road Racing Kicks Off with U23 Women
The first-ever U23 women’s stand-alone road race at the UCI road world championships sees Cat Ferguson lead a global field of rising stars.
Ferguson, a winner twice in 2025, is a favorite for the world crown. (Photo: Luc Claessen/Getty Images)
The 2025 UCI road world championships shift gears from time trials to road racing on Thursday.
The U23 women take center stage Thursday in a historic first for women’s racing.
The Rwanda worlds mark the first time the U23 women’s road race and time trial are being held as stand-alone world championship events.
Since the category was added in 2022, U23 world champion was decided by the top finisher in the age group among the elite races. This year they finally have their own rainbow jersey up for grabs.
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All eyes will be on Cat Ferguson, last year’s double junior world champion in road race and time trial.
The 19-year-old Brit raced the full season in the World Tour with Movistar, and after skipping the U23 time trial, she will be the rider to beat even if the course might a touch too hard for her.
The field is loaded with talent in the race for the first outright winner in the U23 ranks.
Spain’s Paula Blasi, Canada’s Holmgren sisters, France’s Célia Gery and Marion Bunel, Belgium’s Lore De Schepper, Slovakia’s Viktória Chladoňová, and Italy’s Eleonora Ciabocco lead the chase.
Team USA lines up with Mia Aseltine, Ella Sabo, and Katherine Sarkisov to chase the podium in the inaugural stand-alone U23 women’s world road race.
The 119.3km race will feature eight laps on the finishing circuit in Kigali, providing the first race-speed glimpse of what ties in store going into the road races this weekend.
Day 1 – Sunday, September 21
Women Elite Individual Time Trial: Marlen Reussen
Men Elite Individual Time Trial: Remco Evenepoel
Day 2 – Monday, September 22
Women Under-23 Individual Time Trial: Zoe Bäckstedt
Men Under-23 Individual Time Trial: Jakob Söderqvist
Day 3 – Tuesday, September 23
Women Junior Individual Time Trial: Megan Arens
Men Junior Individual Time Trial: Michiel Mouris
Day 4 – Wednesday, September 24
Mixed Relay Team Time Trial: Australia
Day 5 – Thursday, September 25
13:05 – Women Under-23 Road Race
Day 6 – Friday, September 26
08:00 – Men Junior Road Race
12:00 – Men Under-23 Road Race
Day 7 – Saturday, September 27
08:20 – Women Junior Road Race
12:05 – Women Elite Road Race
Day 8 – Sunday, September 28
09:45 – Men Elite Road Race
