Preview World Championship - Women Elite - Who will seize the rainbow opportunity?

Here are the key details for the elite women's road race below: 

Date: Saturday, September 27
Length: 164.6 km
Elevation gain: 3350m
Start and finish time: 12:05-16:45 CET

👉 Looking for the men's preview? You can find it here.
👉 Follow the race live via our live report!

The elite women’s road race route will consist of 11 laps of the Kigali local circuit of 15.1km with 305m of elevation gain per lap. Unlike the elite men’s race, the elite women will not complete a long lap and will go straight into the circuit racing. 

It’s a challenging circuit with the lack of flat roads very apparent, and this will have a big impact on the riders as the race grows older.

As seen in the other road races, the first half of the circuit is fast-flowing with wide main roads descents and some sharp rises where the speeds will be high. The second half of the circuit features two key climbs and an uphill run-in to the finish line.

The Côte de Kigali Golf is a very tough climb to feature in a circuit race, with the 730 metre ascent averaging 8.4%. The maximum gradients of 14% towards the base of the climb provide the perfect launchpad for the most confident and strongest riders to make their mark in the middle section of the circuit.

Although the climbs will catch the eyes of many, sometimes it takes a bold and clever, or even instinctive attack, where it's least suspected, to win a world championship, as we've seen in the past.

The section between the summit of the Côte de Kigali Golf and the start of the Côte de Kimihurura is interesting. Initially, the road continues to roll for a while, which could provide an opportunity to attack before the road descends quickly towards the Kimihurura climb.

It's been a crucial climb in the junior and under-23 road races that have taken place so far, and the Côte de Kimihurura looks set to be key once more. The most notable aspect of the climb is its cobbled surface, but the maximum gradients of 11% are enough, regardless of the road condition, to make a big difference. Another key aspect of the climb is its positioning on the circuit, with the summit just shy of the flamme rouge.

Although the categorised climbing is done, the final kilometre is cruel with an uphill drag to the finish line. It's fair to say that anything could still happen inside the final kilometre if the race for the rainbow jersey still hangs in the balance. The last 600 metres average 5.3% with a maximum gradient of 8%. After 11 laps of this circuit, the final rise to the finish line will feel impossibly long for the riders, but it will feel so sweet for the rider who takes victory.

Current weather forecasts indicate a potential chance of rain showers during tomorrow's showdown in Kigali, which could change the dynamics, particularly with the cobbled climb of the Côte de Kimihurura.

France - Pauline Ferrand-Prévot

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot’s return to road racing in 2025 has been a resounding success so far, with victories at Paris-Roubaix and the Tour de France Femmes. However, there’s a strong possibility that things could get even better for the 33-year-old based on her exceptional performances to date.

Ferrand-Prévot also knows all about winning rainbow jerseys across multiple disciplines, including in the elite women’s road race, something she achieved 11 years ago in Ponferrada, Spain. Five different Frenchwomen, including Ferrand-Prévot, have become world champions in this category, with the 33-year-old’s success in Ponferrada the most recent. 

If Ferrand-Prévot has similar climbing legs that saw her win the Tour de France Femmes, the French rider could be very difficult to beat on this climbing-heavy course. Also, beyond just the abilities of Ferrand-Prévot, it’s fair to say that the French have one of, if not the strongest, squads on the start list.

Juliette Labous is always there or thereabouts at the biggest races, whether that is in a leadership role or superdomestique duty. The 26-year-old will be in support of Ferrand-Prévot like the rest of the team, but having riders of such quality gives the French extra cards to play with earlier moves, and can force the hands of other nations, which will be important to use to their advantage. 

Cédrine Kerbaol and Évita Muzic, like Labous, are also elite riders who would be capable of leading many nations on their own right, and all three are proven climbers, as demonstrated by 7th, 8th and 10th place finishes at the Tour de France Femmes in the summer. If any of these trio heads up the road at any point during the race, it will ring alarm bells in the peloton. 

Maeva Squiban embarks on uncharted territory, making her debut in the elite women’s road race after a stunning summer. Based on a breakthrough Tour de France Femmes, which included back-to-back stage wins, Squiban presents a wildcard option for the French nation, and with the 23-year-old’s combative style, he could be a rider who also profits from an early move. Marie Le Net and Léa Curinier round out a French squad that should have a significant say on the outcome of proceedings.

The Netherlands - Demi Vollering

The other standout nation on the startlist in terms of depth is the Netherlands, spearheaded by Demi Vollering, who has been in the mix in recent editions, including twelve months ago, where the Dutch rider sprinted to 5th from a selective group. Coming off the back of a second-place finish at the Tour de France Femmes, Vollering’s climbing legs are well in check. 

Although the Dutch rider wasn’t able to match the level of Ferrand-Prévot in the mountains, it has to be remembered that the 28-year-old powered on through the race after suffering a crash on stage 3. This course looks to be the best opportunity yet for Vollering to become the world champion, but it seems the former Tour de France Femmes winner will need to reach the levels of Ferrand-Prévot displayed in the summer. It could make for a very competitive and exciting matchup, if Vollering is able to do so, and a 3rd place finish in the individual time trial also bodes well.

Anna van der Breggen, who finished 2nd in the time trial, is another option for the Dutch and knows what it takes to win the rainbow jersey, having done so twice in 2018 and 2020. Van der Breggen could be the perfect option for a long-range attack due to her durability and combative nature.

In all, the Dutch team’s climbing ranks are stacked with Shirin van Anrooij, Pauliena Rooijakkers, Riejanne Markus, Yara Kastelijn, and Femke de Vries rounding out the squad.

Mauritius - Kim Le Court

Kim Le Court arrives at the start as one of the favourites after an impressive season that included victories at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the opening stage of the Tour of Britain Women and stage 5 of the Tour de France Femmes, where she twice wore the yellow jersey. An added incentive for Le Court is being an African soil racing in the first road world championships on the continent, and the opportunity to create history by becoming the first African World Champion. If it comes to a sprint of sorts on the final drag to the finish, Le Court will certainly fancy her chances with a strong punch, but the Mauritius champion has also shown that she is willing to race aggressively also.

Poland - Kasia Niewiadoma

Kasia Niewiadoma has been consistently strong over the years in the world road race, finishing in the top 10 on five occasions. The Polish champion should be very comfortable on the climbs, and it will take plenty to outpunch Niewiadoma as illustrated in recent times, such as victory in Fléche Wallonne in 2024 and, of course, the Tour de France Femmes victory later that summer. The versatile Marta Lach will be an important teammate for Niewiadoma in any case.

Italy - Elisa Longo Borghini

Elisa Longo Borghini has finished 3rd in the world road race three times previously, with the first time being back in 2012, and the most recent last year, illustrating impressive longevity. After winning the Giro d’Italia Women in May, the 33-year-old is still capable of producing the big results, and on a tough course like this and with the spotlight perhaps more on Ferrand-Prévot and Vollering, Longo Borghini could take advantage as a bona fide contender for rainbows, and at least has a great chance of adding another medal.

Longo Borghini's trade teammate, Eleonora Camilla Gasparrini, is in good form, having recently won the GP Stuttgart, as is Monica Trinca Colonel, who won the GC at the Tour de l'Ardèche, and Silvia Persico is also a strong rider, leaving Italy with cards to play, which should help Longo Borghini, who would also back her abilities in an uphill sprint if necessary.

Germany

Germany has two riders who could fly under the radar in terms of podium contention in Lianne Lippert and Antonia Niedermaier. Both are punchy riders who could suit the uphill finish if still in contention for medals at the finish. Lippert was part of the front group that sprinted for victory twelve months ago and ended just off the podium in 4th.

Spain

Spain has a plethora of strong climbers that could fare well for a strong result, including Mireia Benito, Usoa Ostolaza and the veteran and recent Tour de France Femmes stage winner Mavi García.

Switzerland

Having won the time trial, Marlen Reusser has the opportunity to do the double as a top level climber, but would likely want to go solo, so expect to see the Swiss rider on the attack. Noemi Rüegg and Elise Chabbey are other options for the Swiss.

Other riders to watch out for a strong performance include Blanka Vas (Hungary), Katrine Aalerud (Norway), Caroline Andersson (Sweden), Chloé Dygert (United States), Niamh Fisher-Black and Ella Wyllie (New Zealand), Ashleigh Moolman (South Africa), Cecillie Uttrup Ludwig (Denmark), Amanda Spratt, Ruby Roseman-Gannon and Brodie Chapman (Australia), and Urška Žigart (Slovenia).