First UCI Road World Championships on African Soil to Take Place in Rwanda’s Capital

Zurich, Switzerland – The global cycling community is gearing up for a truly historic event: the 2025 UCI Road World Championships, which will take place from September 21 to September 28, 2025, in Kigali, Rwanda. This will mark the first time the prestigious championships are held on the African continent, offering a world-class platform for elite cyclists to compete on the challenging roads of the “Land of a Thousand Hills”.

Organized together with the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the sport’s global governing body, the event promises to deliver spectacular competitions. With multiple climbs and high altitudes, Kigali’s terrain will push competitors to new limits. Anticipation for the event is already building in Rwanda and among competitors, who will have a chance to ride new heights and take their place in cycling history.

Rwanda: A Cycling Nation

For Rwandans, cycling is more than a sport—it is an essential part of everyday life. Across the country, bicycles serve as a primary mode of transport, helping people commute and transport goods across the hilly terrain. Visitors are often struck by the endurance and ingenuity of Rwandans who navigate the country’s roads carrying heavy loads on their bikes.

Competitive cycling is also on the rise, with events like the annual Tour du Rwanda growing in popularity. This race draws international competitors and excites local fans who line the streets to support their favorite riders. Cycling has become a beloved weekend activity for many Rwandans, who regularly take to the roads with friends and family to enjoy the country’s beautiful landscapes.

Competition Overview: Time Trials and Road Races in Kigali

The 2025 UCI Road World Championships will feature a full week of competition, beginning with individual time trials (ITT) for both Women and Men Elite on Sunday, September 21. The ITT course is dotted with several climbs (680m elevation for the Men Elite, 460m for Women Elite) The team time trial mixed relay will conclude the races against the clock on Wednesday.

The road races will take the riders into the heart of Kigali from Thursday onwards, starting with the Women Under 23 race, added to the competition programme as a separate race for the first time ever. The Local Circuit (15.1 km) will be central to most races, with the short, but steep and cobblestoned Cote Kimihurura at the end. Riders will race the loop five to 15 times, depending on the category. The course of the Men Elite road race includes the more demanding Extension Circuit (42.5 km) and iconic climbs such as Mur Kigali and Mont Kigali.

A Milestone for Africa

The 2025 UCI Road World Championships are not just significant for Rwanda, but for the entire African continent. This event will showcase Africa’s readiness to host major international sporting events and inspire the growth of cycling across the region. The inclusion of a separate Women Under 23 race for the first time reflects a commitment to gender equality in the sport, a value Rwanda proudly champions.

Rwanda’s Minister of Sports, Richard Nyirishema said: “Rwanda is proud be the first African host of this iconic sporting event. Sport has played a vital role in Rwanda’s development over the past thirty years, driving our economic development as well as building sporting eco-systems in the country and we have no doubt that this event will create a lasting legacy. Rwandans love cycling and you can already feel the excitement building as we get closer to welcoming the world’s best riders to ride new heights in our Land of a Thousand Hills.”

UCI President David Lappartient said: “Bringing the UCI Road World Championships to the African continent has been my vision for several years. Just one year from now, that vision will become a reality. I am delighted that this historic event will take place in Rwanda, already known for the magnificent Tour du Rwanda. Kigali and the whole of the country have a rich cycling culture that will now be shared with the world. I cannot wait to welcome the cycling family to what will be a milestone for the development and globalization of our sport.”

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Schedule – distances – elevation

Time Trials:

• Sunday, September 21:
  • Women Elite Individual Time Trial: 31.2 km – 460 m elevation
  • Men Elite Individual Time Trial: 40.6 km – 680 m elevation
• Monday, September 22:
  • Women Under 23 Individual Time Trial: 22.6 km – 350 m elevation
  • Men Under 23 Individual Time Trial: 31.2 km – 460 m elevation
• Tuesday, September 23:
  • Women Junior Individual Time Trial: 18.3 km – 225 m elevation
  • Men Junior Individual Time Trial: 22.6 km – 350 m elevation
• Wednesday, September 24:
  • Team Time Trial Mixed Relay: 42.4 km – 740 m elevation

Road Races:

• Thursday, September 25:
  • Women Under 23 Road Race: 8x Local Circuit – 119.3 km – 2,435 m elevation
• Friday, September 26:
  • Men Junior Road Race: 8x Local Circuit – 119.3 km – 2,435 m elevation
  • Men Under 23 Road Race: 11x Local Circuit – 164.6 km – 3,350 m elevation
• Saturday, September 27:
  • Women Junior Road Race: 5x Local Circuit – 74 km – 1,520 m elevation
  • Women Elite Road Race: 11x Local Circuit – 164.6 km – 3,350 m elevation
• Sunday, September 28:
  • Men Elite Road Race: 9x Local Circuit + 1x Extension Circuit + 6x Local Circuit – 267.5 km – 5,475 m elevation

About UCI

Founded in 1900, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is the worldwide governing body for cycling. It develops and oversees cycling in all its forms and for all people: as a competitive sport, a healthy recreational activity, a means of transport, and also just for fun. The UCI manages and promotes the 11 cycling disciplines of road, track, mountain bike, BMX Racing, BMX Freestyle, cyclo-cross, trials, indoor cycling, cycling esports, gravel and snow bike. Five of these are featured on the Olympic Games programme (road, track, mountain bike, BMX Racing and BMX Freestyle) and two in the Paralympic Games (road and track). The UCI Road World Championships are the pinnacle event in the road cycling calendar, crowning UCI World Champions in various categories.

Further information

• For more information about the event please visit the official Kigali2025 website.
• Media accreditation for the event will open in Spring 2025 on the UCI online platform. For questions related to media accreditation, please contact the UCI Communication department: communication@uci.ch.
• For more information about Rwanda’s cycling federation please visit their website.
• For more information about Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) please visit their website.
• To request an interview with UCI Kigali 2025 spokespeople, or for further information on the event, please contact hburns@ogs.gov.rw.