Zoe Bäckstedt of Great Britain claimed victory in the inaugural Women’s U23 Time Trial at the 2025 UCI Road World Championships in Kigali on Monday, September 22, 2025.
- Race report from UCIKigali2025.com
The 20-year-old clocked a blistering time of 30:56.16 to win gold and the coveted Rainbow Jersey over a challenging 22.6 km course, securing her place in history as the first-ever U23 Time Trial World Champion in a standalone race.
Watch the video hilights here:
“I gave it everything I could. My legs didn’t feel 100%, so I was just giving everything I could with what I had in the tank today. So I’m really happy to have such a gap at the end,” she remarked after her victory.
Reflecting on the challenging course, she remarked: “The cobble climb just before the finish was really brutal, really super hard. I knew it was possible to gain some time there but also to lose time if something went wrong. So I had to make sure I had enough energy left at the end to go up this climb as fast as possible.”
Zoe Backstedt
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A crown on a dominant season for Zoe Bäckstedt
The victory capped off a dominant season for the young Brit, who has quickly emerged as one of the sport’s brightest stars. It’s undoubtedly a huge achievement, coming just two days before her 21st birthday.
The youngster, who hails from Pontyclun, Wales, rode to a near two-minute victory over second-placed Viktória Chladoňová of Slovakia, who finished in 32:47.01.
Bäckstedt’s performance was a testament to her well-rounded skill set, as she continues to build on her already impressive list of achievements, including multiple Junior UCI World Championship titles and a dominant performance in the 2025 National ITT Championship.
Her win is especially significant as it marks the first time the Women’s U23 category has had its own dedicated time trial event at the World Championships. Previously, U23 women competed alongside the elite riders, but the 2025 championship featured a standalone race that gave young cyclists a platform to showcase their talents separately.
Slovakia’s Viktória Chladoňová takes silver
Viktória Chladoňová
© SWpix.com (t/a Photography Hub Ltd)
Slovakia’s Viktória Chladoňová, born in 2006, continues to make a name for herself across multiple cycling disciplines. Known for her strength in both road racing and cyclocross, Chladoňová showed her resilience by securing the silver medal with a time of 32:47.01, just 1:50.85 behind Bäckstedt.
The 2024 Junior Cross-Country World Champion, who also claimed the Slovak National Elite Women’s Time Trial Championship earlier this year, is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with in the international cycling community.
Federica Venturelli wins Bronze for Italy
Federica Venturelli
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Federica Venturelli of Italy rounded out the top three with a solid bronze medal performance, finishing in 33:07.74.
The 20-year-old, who competes for the UAE Development Team, has already proven herself as a versatile competitor, excelling in both road cycling and track disciplines. She was crowned the Italian U23 National Time Trial Champion in 2025 and has previously claimed Junior Time Trial European Championship gold. Venturelli’s bronze is a further indication of her growing reputation on the world stage.
Ava Holmgren scored tenth place for Canada.
A strong showing from the top 10
The race for the top 10 spots in the Women’s U23 Time Trial was fiercely contested, with several rising stars pushing the limits of their abilities.
Great Britain’s Millie Couzens, who also showed strong potential in the event, finished in 6th place with a time of 33:33.74, while Justyna Czapla of Germany came in 7th with 33:43.76. Both cyclists are considered among the most promising talents in the field and their performances here signal an exciting future for women’s cycling.
Australia’s Alli Anderson (8th) and Austria’s Tabea Huys (9th) also posted impressive times, while Canada’s Ava Holmgren finished 10th with a time of 34:01.92.
Women Under 23 Individual Time Trial: Top 10 results
- Zoe Bäckstedt (Great Britain) – 30:56.16
- Viktória Chladoňová (Slovakia) – 32:47.01 (+1:50.85)
- Federica Venturelli (Italy) – 33:07.74 (+2:11.58)
- Felicity Wilson-Haffenden (Australia) – 33:17.91 (+2:21.75)
- Alena Ivanchenko (Australia) – 33:18.60 (+2:22.44)
- Millie Couzens (Great Britain) – 33:33.74 (+2:37.58)
- Justyna Czapla (Germany) – 33:43.76 (+2:47.60)
- Alli Anderson (Australia) – 33:49.22 (+2:53.06)
- Tabea Huys (Austria) – 33:55.68 (+2:59.52)
- Ava Holmgren (Canada) – 34:01.92 (+3:05.76)
Rwandan rising stars on home ground
Martha Ntakirutimana
© SWpix.com (t/a Photography Hub Ltd)
Claudette Nyirarukundo
© SWpix.com (t/a Photography Hub Ltd)
Competing on home ground at the 2025 UCI Road World Championships in Kigali, Rwandan cyclists Martha Ntakirutimana and Claudette Nyirarukundo showed resilience and determination in the Women’s U23 Time Trial. Ntakirutimana finished 27th with a time of 36:27.39, while Nyirarukundo took 32nd with 37:14.33. Both faced a challenging course that tested their endurance.
Despite the steep climbs and intense competition, the two athletes displayed immense pride representing Rwanda, highlighting the promising future of cycling in the country.
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