Swiss rider Marlen Reusser makes sweeps her way through the crowds to claim the women’s 2025 UCI time trials
Kigali City came alive on Sunday with colorful bikes, horned helmets, and racing jerseys as the 2025 UCI Road World Championships kicked off — the first time the event is being held in Africa.
The route for the opening race stretched from BK Arena through Kimironko (Simba Supermarket), Rwahama, Chez Lando, Prince House, Sonatube, Nyanza, Gahanga (Master Steel), back to Sonatube, Rwandex, Kanogo, the City Center roundabout, Mediheal, Women Foundation Ministries, Muvunyi area, and finally to the Kigali Convention Centre (KCC). Thousands of spectators lined the clean streets to follow the action.
The event started at 10:22 AM with the Elite Women’s Individual Time Trial, where Rwanda’s Nirere Xaverine had the honor of taking the first start. She recorded a time of 50:07, briefly enjoying the leader’s seat before being displaced 20 minutes later, finishing 27th overall. Her compatriot, Diane Ingabire, followed two hours later and secured 35th place.
Rwanda’s Story:
Nirere, born in 2002, has become one of Rwanda’s most promising cyclists. She is the sister of Valens Ndayisenga, a two-time Tour du Rwanda winner (2014, 2016), who inspired her cycling career. Since 2017, when she won the “Race for Culture” in Nyanza, she has collected titles including multiple National Time Trial championships, overall victory at the 2023 Tour du Burundi Féminin, and three consecutive wins at the Heroes Cycling Cup (2023–2025).
Ingabire, also a multiple-time National Road Race and Time Trial Champion (2022–2024), represented Rwanda at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Her start in Kigali was marked by a festive moment, as a DJ played a popular Rwandan folk song to cheer her on.
Winners:
The Elite Women’s Time Trial was won by Marlen Reusser of Switzerland, who clocked 43:09 to claim the rainbow jersey. She was followed by Anna van der Breggen (Netherlands, Silver) and Demi Vollering (Netherlands, Bronze).
Reusser, already a three-time European Time Trial Champion and Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver medalist, celebrated her first world title after years of near misses.
The Elite Men’s Time Trial was still underway at press time, with stars like Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel in contention.
The Ambiance:
The championship atmosphere was electric. At BK Arena, traditional drummers and dancers energized the riders, while stunt cyclists entertained the crowds. The official UCI 2025 mascot, “Ganza” the gorilla, drew huge excitement, symbolizing Rwanda’s famed mountain gorillas.
Along the route — especially at the Kigali City roundabout — jubilant fans waved flags, cheered riders, and celebrated Rwanda’s historic role as the first African host of the UCI Road World Championships.
