The primary-ever U23 Girls’s Highway World Championship is within the books – and what a debut it was. After 119.3 brutal kilometers on Kigali’s leg-breaking circuit, France’s Célia Gery wrote her title into the historical past books with a superbly timed dash, overtaking Slovakia’s Viktória Chladoňová to say the rainbow jersey, and the primary Gold Medal for France.
It was a French one-two punch, with teammate Marion Bunel setting the stage for Gery within the finale – and although Bunel herself would fade to fifth, the tricolore flew proudly as Gery stormed the road. Spain’s Paula Blasi nabbed bronze after slipping previous Bunel within the last meters, whereas Italy’s Eleonora Ciabocco simply missed the rostrum.
Canadian Isabella Holmgren was energetic on the entrance all day, and made the ultimate choice however in the end crossed the road in sixth. Conspicuous by their absence had been the Dutch – who didn’t discipline a squad.
Watch the Girls’s U23 Race Broadcast right here:
The Course: Kigali Doesn’t Forgive
We lastly obtained to see how the robust ending circuit would present up underneath street race situations, and it didn’t disappoint. Eight laps of 15.1 kilometers every doesn’t sound too terrifying on paper – till you consider two savage climbs per lap. The Côte de Kigali Golf (800m at 8.1%) and the cobbled Côte de Kimihurura (1.3km at 6.3%) tore into the legs lap after lap. Add in a cobbled 600-meter ending drag and almost 2,800 meters of vertical achieve, and also you’ve obtained a correct World Championship circuit.
The peloton was underneath strain from the beginning, smaller-nation riders vanishing virtually instantly. Assaults had been teased however shut down: France’s Julie Bego, Canada’s Isabella Holmgren, Czech rider Julia Kopecký – all tried to shake it up however discovered no daylight.
Canadian Isabella Holmgren was one to observe as she flew the Maple Leaf proudly at the moment.
The Motion: Persistence, Then Pandemonium
The race actually got here alive within the closing laps. Poland’s Malwina Mul launched the day’s first severe transfer, carving out almost 45 seconds earlier than being reeled in on the Golf climb. That’s when Gery and Chladoňová confirmed their power, bridging throughout and lighting up the race.
The penultimate lap noticed assaults flying in all places – Holmgren, Blasi, Bunel, and even Sweden’s Stina Kagevi, who carved out a half-minute solo lead with 11 km to go, earlier than being dragged again. On the bell, fourteen riders nonetheless had a shot, together with Belgium’s Lore De Schepper who clawed her manner again.
Utter dejection for Italy’s Elenora Ciabocco who completed 4th.
The Finale: French Techniques, French Triumph
On the final journey up the Kimihurura cobbles, Bunel made her transfer – and solely two may observe: her teammate Gery and Chladoňová. It was the trio that will resolve the medals.
Bunel drove the tempo like a loyal teammate, forcing Chladoňová to open the dash early. However Gery was ice-cool, biding her time earlier than blasting previous the Slovakian within the last meters. Arms aloft, she claimed the first-ever U23 Girls’s world title – including one other glittering prize to a palmarès that already contains junior cyclocross gold and workforce relay medals.
Outcomes:
2025 World Championships Girls U23 – Highway Race – Courtesy of ProCyclingStats.com
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