World Cycling Championships 2025 in Kigali: Routes & schedule for the World Championships in Rwanda
Thomas Goldmann
· 19.09.2025
World Cycling Championships 2025 - the most important facts in brief
- Date: 21.09. - 28.09.2025
- Venue: Kigali (Rwanda)
- Women Elite: 164.6 kilometres (3350 vertical metres)
- Men Elite: 267.5 kilometres (5475 vertical metres)
The World Road Cycling Championships in Kigali in 2025 are once again likely to be an event for climbers. The elite men's road race is 267.5 kilometres long with 5475 metres of climbing. In comparison: in Zurich in 2024, there were 4470 metres of elevation gain over 273.9 kilometres and even the extremely difficult course in Innsbruck 2018 "only" had 4670 metres of elevation gain over 258 kilometres.
Mont Kigali and Mur de Kigali
The women's 2025 is no less challenging. In the elite race, 3350 metres of elevation gain are spread over 164.6 kilometres on a circuit that is completed eleven times, while the men's race comprises 15 laps, plus an additional loop over Mont Kigali and the legendary Mur du Kigali with its cobblestones. There was already a first taste of this at the Tour de Rwanda 2024. The summit of the six-kilometre climb to Mont Kigali is at an altitude of 1771 metres, where the air is already getting thinner.
Challenging time trial courses
The time trial competitions in Rwanda are also very tough. The elite men's race will cover 40.6 kilometres with 680 metres of elevation gain, while the elite women will conquer 460 metres of elevation gain over 31.2 kilometres. These two competitions will also kick off the 2025 World Cycling Championships on Sunday, 21 September. The U23 men's individual time trial continues on Monday - on the same course as the elite women's race. There will also be a separate U23 individual time trial competition for the women for the first time on Monday, which was previously part of the elite time trial.
The U23 women will take on the same 22.6 kilometres with 350 metres of elevation gain as the juniors on Tuesday in the battle against the clock, after the juniors have already completed the 18.3 kilometres with 225 metres of elevation gain in the morning. On Wednesday, the mixed competition (41.8 kilometres, 740 vertical metres) will conclude the time trial events.
On Thursday, the U23 women's road race will be held separately for the first time at a World Championships. The 119.3-kilometre race features 2435 metres of climbing - the juniors will ride the same course on Friday. The men's U23 road race is also planned for Friday, covering a tough 164.6 kilometres with 3350 metres of climbing. On Saturday, before the women's elite, the juniors will race over 74 kilometres with 1520 metres of elevation gain, before the men's elite road race on Sunday brings the 2025 World Cycling Championships in Rwanda to a close.
World Cycling Championships 2025 Rwanda: Schedule and programme of the competitions in Kigali*
Sunday, 21.09.2025
- 10:10 - 12:55 Women's elite individual time trial, 31.2 kilometres (460 vertical metres)
- 13:45 - 16:50 Men's elite individual time trial, 40.6 kilometres (680 vertical metres)
Monday, 22.09.2025
- 10:35 - 12:45 U23 women's individual time trial, 22.6 kilometres (350 vertical metres)
- 13:35 - 16:30 U23 men's individual time trial, 31.2 kilometres (460 vertical metres)
Tuesday, 23.09.2025
- 10:45 - 12:45 Junior women's individual time trial, 18.3 kilometres (225 vertical metres)
- 14:00 - 16:30 Junior individual time trial, 22.6 kilometres (350 vertical metres)
Wednesday, 24.09.2025
- 12:30 - 17:00 Team time trial mixed relay, 41.8 kilometres (740 metres altitude)
Thursday, 25.09.2025
- 13:05 - 16:30 Women's U23 road race, 119.3 kilometres (2435 vertical metres)
Friday, 26.09.2025
- 08:00 - 11:15 Junior road race, 119.3 kilometres (2435 metres elevation gain)
- 12:00 - 16:25 U23 men's road race, 164.6 kilometres (3350 vertical metres)
Saturday, 27.09.2025
- 08:20 - 10:40 Junior women's road race, 74 kilometres (1520 vertical metres)
- 12:05 - 16:45 Women's elite road race, 164.6 kilometres (3350 vertical metres)
Sunday, 28.09.2025
- 09:45 - 16:45 Men's elite road race, 267.5 kilometres (5475 vertical metres)
* Times are subject to change
Time zone Kigali
The capital of Rwanda is located in the Central African Time Zone and therefore has no shift to Central European Summer Time (CEST).
